Three suspected members of an Islamic State support group which has allegedly established a base in Metro Manila were apprehended by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in separate operations yesterday in Paranaque City and Rizal.
Police Lt. Col. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PNP-CIDG National Capital Region chief, identified the suspects as Norodin Manalinding, Cairo Manatao, and Tagoranao Sarip Jr.
Ibay said Manalinding serves as the finance facilitator and recruiter of the Marawi City-based IS-Daulah Islamiyah Ranao extremist group. Manatao and Sarip are alleged members of the ISIS support group.
The suspects were arrested in separate operations in Baclaran, Parañaque and Cainta, Rizal around 3:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., respectively.
Ibay revealed that the operations were an off-shoot of the arrest of another member of the group, Jeran Aba, alias “Paito Pangadaman Liwal’g” and “Abu Sinan,” on Christmas Day last year in Quiapo, Manila.
“Dito nagsimula ang operations, ang information na nakuha doon led to the operations that we have now,” Ibay said. “Ang initial information na nakuha natin, support cell sila ng ISIS that are based here. So if meron silang operations, ang extremist group na ito they will form part of the support group,” he added.
Ibay clarified that they have not monitored a validated plan of the support group to conduct an attack on Election Day on Monday. “So far walang information tungkol doon. This operation is in connection sa revelation sa unang nahuling member nila,” he explained.
Ibay said the PNP will not let its guard down as they continue to interrogate the suspects.
The suspects, according to Ibay, were acting as “media spreaders” of the ISIS-Daulah Islamiyah Ranao. “Kung mayroong propaganda, sila mag-uupload ng propaganda ng grupo sa social media para na rin magrecruit. Depende kung ano ang gusto nilang ipropagate,” he said.
Manalinding, as finance facilitator, takes care of the finances which are being given by various ISIS symphatizers, Ibay said.
The CIDG is continuously conducting a deeper probe to identify other possible members of the ISIS support group in Metro Manila, Ibay said.
He noted that the group was not involved in the Marawi City siege in May 2017. But he said the suspects trained with the terrorists who fought in the Marawi siege in Butig, Lanao del Sur.
Police confiscated from the suspects a 9mm pistol, a fragmentation grenade, a hand grenade, two caliber .45 pistols, a piece of black cloth believed to be an ISIS flag, and various ammunition.
The suspects will be charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and RA 9516 or Law on Explosives, in relation to the RA 7166 or Omnibus Election Code. (Martin Sadongdong)
