PNP on full alert following arrest of Maute widow

While the Northern Mindanao police remained on full alert, the police force has been ordered to go after all terrorist personalities who are in one way or another involved in the fighting in Marawi City following the arrest of the Indonesian widow of Maute leader Omar Khayyam Maute in Iligan City over the weekend.

Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), said the police are not letting its guard down against possible retaliatory attacks of the remaining ISIS-Maute fighters including its supporters and sympathizers.

Gonda said the threat of terrorism in the entire region remains ‘high’ based on the validation of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

“Dili gyud ta magkumpyansa sa posibleng retaliatory attacks ug panimalos busa padayon ang instruction sa atong regional director kalabot sa target hardening and security measures kay full alert gihapon ta,”Gonda said.

The Iligan City police has arrested Minhati Madrais, the Indonesian wife of slain Maute leader Omar, along with her six minor children at her house in Tubod, Iligan City, Sunday morning.

Madrais was included in the list of the Arrest, Search and Seizure Order (ASSO 1) issued by the Defense department.

Authorities seized bomb making materials, cellphone and the expired passport used by Madrais in coming back and forth to the Philippines.

Police said she arrived in the country in 2012 and her passport expired December, last year.

Senior Superintendent Leony Roy Ga, Iligan City police chief, said they are still preparing the documents and evidence for the filing of the case against Madrais for illegal possession of explosives.

Ga said Madrais may be charged today.

Ga said other state units are investigating Madrais’ supposed participation in the Marawi crisis.

“Kanang iyang possible involvement sa rebellion case na unya kana is intel activities unya naa laing unit ga-follow-up. Ang sa police is arrest and pag-file sa kaso,” Ga said.

“Basta mamonitor nato sa area nga naay presence sa mga personalities nga naa sa list ato gyud na

i-address kay ang pagdakop kang Madrais is info from the community,”Ga added.

Ga also said the children of Madrais have shown signs of being radicalized when they raised their index finger during the arrest.

The raising of index finger is a known hand gesture of the IS militants to show

their cause and beliefs.

“Naay signs nga posible na-radicalized ang mga bata kay katong sa pagkadakop gasenyas man gud sila ug pagpataas sa usa ka tudlo,”Ga said.

Madrais was still under detention of the Iligan police while the social welfare office has started processing the custody of the children.

Ga said they will wait for further orders from the PNP national headquarters for the detention of Madrais.

“Maghulat pa ta sa order and guidance kung dinhi ba sa Iligan or sa Manila ang detention ni Madrais,”Ga said.