Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. said yesterday that military intelligence units are validating information that Owayda Benito Marohomsar, alias “Huwam” and “Abu Dar,” has succeeded the late Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Ha-pilon.
In a press briefing in Marawi City, Galvez said their intelligence unit in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City has yet to provide them with a definite answer regarding the matter.
“We have to still validate it, sa ngayon wala pa po kaming definite conclusion kung talagang siya na po but we are finding it out,” Galvez said.
Marohomsar managed to escape government forces who conducted an all-out assault on Marawi to liberate it from the hands of terrorists.
Among the terror leaders killed in the assault include Hapilon and Maute-Islamic State co-founder Omar Maute.
Galvez said that Abu Dar is the remaining terrorist leader who helped plan the Marawi siege on May 23, 2017.
“Out of the 10 terrorist leaders who planned the Marawi siege, Abu Dar is the only remaining significant figure. All of the nine have been killed and neutralized already during the battle of Marawi,” Galvez said.
“I believe that he is the only remaining original planners and organizers of Maute,” he added. (Francis T. Wakefield)
