Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) stands by its findings that there are members of the Maute terror group in Metro Manila — despite the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) contradicting the claim.
PNP officials said on Wednesday they were surprised by the military’s statement denying the presence of the ISIS-linked Maute group in the capital.
AFP Public Affairs Chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo said on Tuesday they have not monitored any members of the Maute group in Metro Manila.
But Quezon City Police District Chief C/Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said the arrest of alleged Maute Group member Nasip Ibrahim on Monday in Quezon City was done in coordination with the AFP.
“All of our operations, (this) arrest of four earlier arrested suspects and Nasip Ibrahim, these were all done in coordination with the AFP counterparts,” he said.
Eleazar said their statement on the presence of some Maute Group members was based on verified intelligence information and results of the investigation on the foiled bombing near the U.S. Embassy in Manila last November 8.
AFP Spokesperson Brig. Gen Restituto Padilla on Wednesday said they are coordinating with the PNP in gathering information on the Monday night raid.
“Ayaw naming mapaso kayo sa balitang mali, kaya ang aming paglalahad ng balita ay laging kinakailangan nakabatay sa maayos na datos…kung ano man inanunsyo ng pulis, ay sa kanila yon, at maliwanag yon. So ngayon nakikipag ugnayan tayo, at magiging maliwanag yan dahil tayo ay may intelligence fusion,” he said.
[Translation: We don’t want to give out false information, so all our disclosures are based on clear data…whatever the police will announce, is theirs and that is clear. We are coordinating with them, and that will be clear because we have intelligence fusion.]
Four suspects in the foiled bombing were earlier arrested with the help of AFP, Eleazar said.
All four are allegedly members of Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines and are closely working with the Maute Group.
Both Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines and Maute Group have pledged allegiance to the international terrorist group ISIS.
Authorities are still looking for other Maute group members Isnadie Ibrahim and cell leader Yusof Macoto, who are reportedly still in Metro Manila or in nearby provinces.
Eleazar said Macoto is the group’s leader, while Isnadie Ibrahim, uncle of Nasip, is said to be involved in the Hilongos, Leyte bombing in December 2016 that injured dozens.
The PNP said there is a tracking group working specifically on the arrest of several Maute Group members in Metro Manila.
“Yung danger is hindi naman imminent. Kaya nga ang ating authorities, the PNP in coordination with the AFP are monitoring and running after them,” he said.
[Translation: The danger is not imminent. Our authorities, the PNP in coordination with the AFP, are monitoring the situation and running after them.]
Meanwhile, AFP West Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) Spokesperson Capt. Joann Petinglay also said sharing of intelligence information between AFP and PNP has been intensified.
Though limited in its area of responsibility, Petinglay added, WesMinCom carried out measures to ensure that all threat groups in the area would be monitored, and the threats would be dealt with.
