■ MALAYSIAN NAT'L TAGGED AS NEW TERROR LEADER
Authorities said they have information that Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco has succeeded slain Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon as the emir of global terror group Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia. Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa said Indonesian national Muhammad Ilham Syahputra, who was arrested earlier for allegedly taking part in the armed conflict in Marawi City, divulged this information. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, however, they were still validating this. He noted that Baco is not as high-profile as Hapilon, but he agreed that Baco may have been chosen as the new emir because there was no one else.
Authorities said they have information that Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco has succeeded slain Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon as the purported emir of global terror group Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa said Indonesian national Muhammad Ilham Syahputra, who was arrested earlier for allegedly taking part in the armed conflict in Marawi City, divulged this information.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, however, they were still validating this.
“We are still looking for Amin Baco. Yes, we heard the news that he could be the successor of Isnilon as the emir of those terrorists but since they are already splintered, kalat kalat na sila, hinahabol pa namin s’ya, kung mahuli namin sya di mas maganda (Since they are splintered, they are scattered, we are still running after them),” Lorenzana said.
He noted that Baco is not as high-profile as Hapilon was and may not be able to gather fighters like Hapilon did. But Lorenzana agreed that Baco may be chosen as the new emir because they can no longer find someone with a higher rank.
Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez Jr, head of PNP Directorate for Operations, said Baco is a Malaysian national who is one of the longest staying terrorists in the country. He allegedly has links to Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan, the subject of the botched Mamasapano operation that led to the death of 44 Special Action Force commandos, among others.
Baco was in Lanao at about the same time as Marwan, Lorenzana said.
Dela Rosa, who presented Syahputra to the media yesterday, said the Indonesian national claimed that Baco had assumed leadership of the remaining terrorists in Marawi as well as of the terrorists in Southeast Asia who have pledged allegiance to IS.
Dela Rosa said that based on intelligence information, there were at least 30 Maute stragglers, including two Indonesians, in Marawi. He said they also received a report that Baco is already outside Marawi City but this has to be validated.
Syahputra was arrested on November 1 in Barangay Luksa Datu in Marawi City. Authorities said Syahputra initially introduced himself as a resident of Cagayan De Oro and an intelligence officer in the military.
Recovered from him were thousands of cash, one pink electronic tablet, seven gold bracelets, one fragmentation grenade, one .45 caliber Caspian pistol, bullets and a passport belonging to a certain Indonesian national named Khoirul Hidayat.
Syahputra, who is considered as a high-value target, was transferred to Camp Crame where he underwent documentation.
Dela Rosa said Syahputra revealed during the tactical interrogation that he is in charge of the drone operation for intelligence purposes of the Maute terror group.
Syaputra also said he killed his two Tausug buddies in order to escape the group for survival.
“According to him ‘yung kasi nung dwindling na ‘yung kanilang resources at kanilang will to fight ay bumaba na. Nagduda na baka meron mag sipaglayasan so s’ya ay isang Indonesian may in-assign sa kanya na Tausug para bantayan s’ya at kung lalayas s’ya patayin s’ya so ang ang unang ginawa nya pinatay n’ya ‘yung kanyang buddy para makalayas sya at doon sya sa Lanao Lake lumangoy at nagtago for three hours,” he said.
Defense officials declared the end of the Marawi conflict on October 23, exactly five months after fighting broke out and less than a week after President Rodrigo Duterte declared the city liberated from terrorist influence following the death of Hapilon.
The conflict broke out after a government raid on May 23 failed to arrest Hapilon. The terrorists went on a rampage in Marawi, torching buildings and taking hostages.