Maute ‘financier’ nabbed in Metro

MANILA, Philippines — Legitimate businesses were used to fund the Maute group in the uprising in Marawi City, police officials said yesterday.

Police said 42-year-old merchant Rasdi Hamid Malawani was arrested after authorities determined he was among the sources of funding of the militants who fought government forces in Marawi for five months.

Malawani, alias Rasdy Macabangkit or Makabangket, manages the Salaam Bazaar at the Novaliches Plaza Mall.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde said the stall was used as a front by Farhana Romato Maute, the mother of slain brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute, leaders of the extremist group.

Farhana is known as a financier of the Maute group. Now confined in Bicutan jail, she was arrested in Lanao del Sur last June. Her husband, clan patriarch Cayamora Maute, died in detention last August.

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) led by Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar and military intelligence operatives arrested Malawani at his house in Greenfields Subdivision at Barangay Kaligayan in Novaliches on Wednesday.

Albayalde said Malawani was arrested for illegal possession of firearms on a search warrant issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 89. 

A cal. 45 Colt pistol, ammunition, a rifle propelled grenade and bank transaction receipts were recovered from Malawani. 

Albayalde said Malawani had been under surveillance following intelligence reports that he was transmitting the money to the Maute group through his sister-in-law, Lily Azea Macabangkit-Maute, widow of a slain Maute fighter.

Malawani allegedly facilitated the remittance after taking over the mall bazaar business of Farhana following her arrest last June. 

Eleazar added Malawani made remittances of P200,000 to P300,000 per month from the bazaar’s income.

“What is important is we crippled one of the sources of funding of the group,” Albayalde said.

He said this was one of the local sources of funding of the terrorist group, apart from the Islamic State as declared by the military.

Following the arrest of the alleged Maute sympathizer, Albayalde said the terror threat in Metro Manila is still high and urged the public not to be complacent. 

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said they have not monitored immediate threats in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Dela Rosa issued the statement in reaction to the travel advisory of the United Kingdom on Tuesday warning its citizens from traveling to some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Dela Rosa said they have no idea where the UK received their information.

“I don’t know where their basis came from,” he said.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised its citizens against traveling particularly to the Visayas and Mindanao regions, citing the presence of militant groups.

“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in the Philippines,” it added. – Emmanuel Tupas