LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines — Three suspected members of the Maute terror group were arrested in Piagapo town in Lanao del Sur on Wednesday.
Apao Dimacaling, Alex Braad and Kalal Berongan, alias Mayor, yielded rocket-propelled grenades, bomb materials and a grenade launcher during a raid by soldiers of the 103rd Infantry Brigade and police operatives on their hideout in Barangay Gacap, Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police said yesterday.
Mijares thanked local officials and Maranao religious leaders for helping locate the suspects.
Police and local officials confirmed that the suspects were among those who attacked and occupied Marawi from May to October last year.
The suspects were also accused of killing three civilians in Piagapo town last Dec. 6 said to be in retaliation for the death of their family members during the fighting in Marawi.
They are under the custody of the Lanao del Sur police.
The arrest of the militants came barely a week after soldiers clashed with a group of militants led by Najib Pundog, alias Bomber, in Masiu town. Various types of ammunition were recovered from the suspects.