Maute bomb expert gunned down in General Santos City

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — A suspected Maute bomb maker was killed in a reported firefight with law enforcers in this city before dawn yesterday.

Najiv Calimba Pundong reportedly fired at police officers who tried to arrest  him at his hideout in Barangay Uhaw.

Police Officer 3 Jerry Feo of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion was wounded in the shootout.

Bomb materials, fragmentation grenades and a Glock 9 pistol were recovered at the scene, police said.

Pundong was the alleged henchman of Abu Dar who assumed leadership of the Maute group last year after siblings Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute were killed in encounters with soldiers in Marawi last Oct. 16.