Maute wife arrested

6 kids takeninto custody

MANILA, Philippines — The Indonesian widow of slain terror leader Omarkhayam Maute was arrested in Iligan City yesterday, with her six children taken into custody by the state.

Minhati Madrais, alias Baby, was nabbed after operatives of Joint Task Force Ranao received information that she had been spotted in Barangay Tubod in Iligan.

Chief Superintendent Timoto Pacleb, police regional director, said Madrais is holding an expired Indonesian passport. 

Arresting lawmen seized some materials used for making improvised explosive devices at Madrais’ house in Steel Maker’s Village in Tubod.

Madrais reportedly admitted she is Omar’s widow.

“We were able to trace her relationship with Omar through the photos provided to us. In some of the photos she was with Omar,” Iligan City police chief Senior Supt. Leony Roy Ga said.

Ga said Madrais could hardly speak the local Maranao dialect and Tagalog, but she can converse in English.

Police are trying to determine Madrais’ role in the Maute group due to her relationship with Omar.

Through Madrais’ cell phone, police are also checking if she has any contact with other members of the Maute group.

Police said Madrais moved to Iligan from Marawi when the firefight broke out between government forces and the Maute group on May 23.

Madrais claimed she was taken to Iligan but could not identify who brought her there.

Ga said Madrais would be charged with illegal possession of explosives.

Her six children, all minors, will be turned over to the custody of the Iligan City Social Welfare and
Development office, police said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Madrais was among more than 100 people on the arrest order of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana after martial law was declared by President Duterte on May 23.

Madrais’ arrest came after her husband along with Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon were killed by government forces in Marawi last month.

Hapilon and Maute led the five-month deadly siege in Marawi City that left more than a thousand dead and more than 300,000 homeless.

Their killing signaled the end of the battle to retake Marawi.

Sporadic gunfire was still heard in Marawi City yesterday, almost two weeks after combat operations were formally terminated, Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Force Ranao, said.

“We are still hunting down stragglers,” Brawner said, adding there could be as many as 39 militants hiding in the ruined city based on information from captured Indonesian militants.

“We do not have information how many militants are still there. But we will hunt them down.”

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero said he would work closely with Indonesia and Malaysia to step up coordinated sea and air patrols along the borders where kidnappings and attacks on shipping are happening.

“We intend to increase the frequency of our coordinated patrols with our ASEAN neighbors to stop piracy and militant attacks in these dangerous seas,” he said.

More attacks

On the other hand, security officials are expecting more attacks from the Abu Sayyaf terrorists following the killing of Hapilon.

Local officials in Basilan said Radzmil, a henchman of Hapilon, has been instigating trouble since last month impressing that he is the best successor to Hapilon, emir of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia.

Two militiamen were killed and beheaded on Friday in Sumisip town in Basilan.

Residents said the attack was another show of rage over the ongoing construction of the P1-billion Basilan trans-central road that will traverse the remaining enclaves of the Abu Sayyaf in the Punoh Mahadje and Sampinit areas in the island province.

The trans-central road will connect the towns of Sumisip and Maluso to Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City, capital of Basilan.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is spearheading the P150-million road construction from Barangay Santa Clara.

The Abu Sayyaf in Basilan are worried the overland arterial network will make their lairs accessible to police patrol cars and military armored vehicles.

“Apparently this road project will usher in developments that will weaken their influence on the local communities,” ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said.

Hataman said the construction of the trans-central road will continue despite threats of sabotage by the Abu Sayyaf.

The threats by the Abu Sayyaf to sabotage the infrastructure projects of the ARMM government in Basilan escalated last week after the brutal murder and beheading of the militiamen.

Local residents urged the military and the police to tighten their surveillance on four Abu Sayyaf commanders, among them Radzmil, who are all aspiring for the leadership of Hapilon’s group.

The regional police and the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) separately reiterated their commitment to prevent the Abu Sayyaf from getting close to workers constructing the trans-central road.

Wesmincom commander Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. yesterday said troops will now patrol the ARMM’s ongoing infrastructure projects.

“We are thankful that the ARMM government is helping neutralize the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan through socio-economic and infrastructure interventions that can defeat the group,” Galvez said.

Galvez headed the military’s successful retaking of Marawi City after five months of battle with the Maute group.

Meanwhile, the men and women of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) who took part in the battle to retake Marawi returned home to a hero’s welcome.

On Tuesday, on the occasion of its 67th anniversary, the Philippine Marines will lead a ceremony in Fort Bonifacio in salute of their comrades who fought in Marawi.

“With the sacrifices and heroism manifested by the members of the Philippine Marine Corps during the Marawi siege, its 67th Marine birthday celebration is more meaningful and significant to its every member,” spokesperson Marine Capt. Maria Rowena Dalmacio said.

“With its 35 lives lost and 367 wounded in action, the Marines will honor and remember their accounts of heroism through the traditional and solemn cake cutting ceremony,” she said. –Gerry Lee-Gorit, John Unson, Michael Punongbayan, Reuters