Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 15) — Both parents of the Maute brothers are under police custody in Metro Manila.
Ominta Romato Maute, also known as “Farhana,” is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, Metro Manila Police Chief Oscar Albayalde confirmed on CNN Philippines’ The Source on Thursday.
Albayalde said Farhana was flown to Manila this week, days after she was arrested in a Maute “safe house” in Masiu, Lanao del Sur on June 9.
The town is around 35 kilometers from Marawi, the battleground of government forces and terrorists.
Read: Mother of Maute brothers arrested in Lanao del Sur
Albayalde added, Farhana is held in a cell separate from the Maute patriarch, Cayamora Maute, who has been detained in the jail complex inside Camp Bagong Diwa since June 8. He was arrested at a checkpoint in Davao City on June 6.
Albayalde said the police is prepared to thwart possible attempts to rescue Farhana, Cayamora, and other detained members of the Maute terror group.
“The rescue mission [is] probably suicidal, really. Our camp is highly fortified. We have one regiment of the Special Action Force (SAF) inside our camp,” Albayalde said.
The SAF is a police unit tasked to conduct special operations, including counter terrorism efforts against local and international terror groups.
Related: Military ready vs. threats as ‘high-risk’ Maute patriarch in Manila
Arrested for rebellion
Cayamora and Farhana are in the arrest order against those suspected of rebellion, issued by martial law administrator and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
The military believes the parents are providing financial and logistical support to sons Omar and Abdullah Maute, leaders of the ISIS-inspired Maute terror group, which attacked Marawi City on May 23.
President Rodrigo Duterte has since declared martial law throughout Mindanao.
Related: Marawi crisis timeline
The arrest of Cayamora and Farhana is tantamount to “cutting off the head” of the Maute terror group, Task Force Marawi spokesperson Jo-Ar Herrera said as he announced Farhana’s arrest on June 10.
Cayamora had denied knowing about his sons’ activities, especially about their links with ISIS and the Marawi attack.
Meanwhile, the military and police said it was necessary to transfer the “high-risk” Maute members to Manila for security reasons.
Armed Forces Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said security officials can protect them better in Metro Manila than in Mindanao where troops are focused on flushing out the remaining terrorists.
