Police intelligence agents have arrested an alleged member of a terror group in Mindanao that is reportedly sympathetic to the international terror group Daulah Islamiyah in an entrapment operation in Quezon City.
Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said that suspect Datu Omar Palty Jr. appeared to be on a holiday mode in Metro Manila when he was arrested at around 1 a.m. in Barangay North Fairview in Quezon City.
“He has an arrest warrant. He was on vacation but he ran out of luck, he was arrested,” said Gamboa.
Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo, director of the Quezon City Police District, said the operation against Palty started on a report of an alleged gun-running activity.
A police poseur-buyer was able to contact Palty and negotiated for the purchase of a .45-caliber pistol. It was during the transaction in Barangay North Fairview where Palty was arrested.
Based on the background check, the 26-year old Palty is reportedly a member of a faction of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter led by Commander Esmael Abubakar.
The group allegedly switched its allegiance to terrorist group Daulah Islamiyah in 2018 led by Esmael Adbulmalik, who carries the alias Turaife/Turaypi.
According to intelligence reports, Palty was appointed by Abdilmalik as the point man or contact person of his group in Metro Manila to coordinate with Daulah Islamiyah operatives from Sulu and Basilan.
In June 2019, Palty has established communication or contact and arranged the travel to Manila of Arnel Cabintoy and Feliciano Sulayo, both members of Daulah Islamiyah and both ‘Balik Islam’. Consequently, the duo were arrested on June 15, 2019 in Quezon City, a day after their arrival in Metro Manila.
In addition, Palty was allegedly involved in the attack on a military camp in Midsayap, North Cotobato that resulted in the death of two Philippine Army personnel in 2009; attack on a Philippine Army Detachment in Aleosan, Cotobato in 2014; killing of a couple and security guard in San Simon, Pampanga wherein he acted as the triggerman together with his Muslim companion onboard a motorcycle in 2015.(Aaron Recuenco)
