Suspected member of ISIS-backed group arrested, arms cache found in Maguindanao

June 7, 2017

An alleged member of an ISIS-inspired local terrorist group was arrested in a law enforcement operation in Maguindanao on Tuesday morning. Capt. Arvin Encinas, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, identified the suspect as a certain Kamarudin Butocan Raguiab. He said combined troops of 5th Special Forces Battalion, 19th Infantry Battalion, 6th Military Intelligence Battalion, and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were conducting law enforcement operation in the vicinity of Brgy Dimapatoy, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao when they arrested him. Government forces also recovered one Barret sniper rifle, one paljet, one rocket propelled grenade, two M16 rifles, one M16 rifle attached with M203, one M653 with scope, one AK47, one M2 carbine, two shot guns, one caliber 45 pistol, four improvised explosive devices, one rifle grenade and a black flag. Encinas did not give the name of the group but he noted it was called as an ISIS-inspired group because a black flag was recovered. Col Jesus Sarsagat, commander of the 603rd Brigade, said the “successful operation was a result of the focused and intensified military operation against the local terror groups in Central Mindanao following Presidents Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao last May 23.” (Robina Asido/DMS)