Alleged Marawi siege killer falls

MANILA, Philippines — A man accused of helping plan the Maute group’s siege of Marawi City was arrested in Tondo, Manila over the weekend.

Nasser Lomondot and his wife Raisalam claimed they were in Metro Manila to seek refuge, not to recruit more members for the pro-Islamic State jihadist group, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said in a press conference yesterday.

Lomondot is also accused of killing civilians in last year’s deadly siege of the southern city of Marawi.

Hundreds of gunmen flying black IS flags seized Marawi in May last year, triggering a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,100 lives, in a bid to establish a caliphate in the Philippines.

Lomondot was arrested on Saturday in Manila, months after he fled the fighting in Marawi.

“He participated in the killing of innocent civilians and committed violence against female and child hostages,” regional military spokesman Major Ronald Suscano told reporters.

As government forces battled to wrest back control of Marawi, Lomondot directed a diversionary attack by pro-IS gunmen in the neighboring town of Marantao, Suscano added.

“He was one of the key planners of the attack in Marantao town ...while the firefight was still ongoing” in Marawi, Suscano said.

The military warned last month that the remaining militants from Marawi have mustered a force of about 200 gunmen to launch a second attempt to put up a caliphate in the country’s south.

A composite team from the Manila Police District (MPD) intelligence and operation unit, led by Chief Inspector Rizalino Ibay Jr.; PNP Intelligenc Group; National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the 103rd Brigade of the Philippine Army raided a house at the corner of C.M. Recto Avenue and Dagupan street at around 4 p.m. Saturday and arrested the Lomondots.

“When accosted by arresting officers,  Lomondot attempted to detonate a grenade from his bag but was quickly subdued. His wife Raisalam created a commotion to prevent the arrest. She was found in possession of a handgun in her purse,” Dela Rosa added.

Lomondot was presented at Camp Crame yesterday but his wife was taken to the hospital after complaining of stomach pains.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Joel Napoleon Coronel said Lomondot is personally known to the late Omar Maute, a leader of the IS-affiliated group.

“Lomondot was involved personally and present in the Marawi incident. In fact before the liberation of  Marawi City, he was one of those who were fortunate to escape the military in November and transferred to Lanao del Sur going to Cagayan de Oro,” he said.

Coronel added that Lomondot admitted seeking shelter in Metro Manila to escape ongoing military operations.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said authorities could not discount the possibility that Lomondot was also recruiting new members in the metropolis after the PNP recently arrested a foreigner “engaged in recruitment.”

He said the Lomondots sought shelter in Metro Manila “because it is easy for them to mingle with their relatives here since there are many Muslim enclaves.”

Dela Rosa said some people from Mindanao are leaving their hometown since the island is still under martial law, where there is a higher possibility of getting arrested.

He reiterated that carrying out a massive attack could be difficult for them since “it will take time for them to regroup, resupply and retrain.” – With AFP