Indo IS fighter: 39 Mautes still in Marawi

Flag of Islamic State (IS) (Photo By Yo – Own work, Public Domain)

An Indonesian suspected to be linked with the Islamic State (IS)-inspired Maute group, after his arrest, confessed on Wednesday that there are still 39 fighters left in the battle-torn city of Marawi.

During a press conference on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that since President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi liberated from terrorists, the claimed 39 remaining Maute fighters cannot engage in combat anymore as part of the culture of urban warfare that they are most probably just hiding.

Identified as Muhammad Ilham Syahputra, the Indonesian national was seen trying to escape Marawi at 7:00 a.m. by swimming in Lanao Lake.

Because of Syahputra’s foreign features and inability to speak Tagalog, English, and the local dialect fluently, local officials doubted his claim that he came from Cagayan de Oro.

According to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr.’s text message to the media, “This person was intercepted and arrested by law enforcement members of BPAT (Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team) and [was] turned over to the PNP (Philippine National Police)-AFP team.”

Sr. Supt. John Guyguyon, Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office Police Director, said in a news conference that Syahputra admitted that he came to the Philippines through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in November 2016, and that he was invited by Abu Sayyaf Isnilon Hapilon to start a “straggle.”

Guyguyon further said that the Indonesian national admitted that that apart from joining the 154-day siege in Marawi, he took part in plotting the bombing in Tamrin, Indonesia, and that he also fought government troops in Piagapo, Lanao del Sur in April.

“According to him there were plans of bombing in the Philippines pero naputol dahil sa nangyari sa (but it was interrupted because of what happened in) Marawi. Prior to his arrival ‘yun ang balak ni (that was the plan of) Isnilon, to [bomb] military camps because of what is happening especially in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi tawi,” he added.

Guyguyon also mentioned that Syahputra left the battle because “he no longer believed what he was fighting for” and that he had to shoot a fellow Indonesian because the latter tried to stop him from leaving.

The Indonesian had a gunshot wound on his side and was treated at Amai Pakpak Medical Center.

Authorities confiscated from him an Indonesian passport that was not his, and a bag containing firearms, an improvised explosive device, jewelry, a cellphone, and a money of different currency.

“Ang banggit lang niya (What he said was), (he only arrived in the country) one time siyang dumating, ang (and the) problem (is that) we are not able to find his passport, sabi niya kinuha ng (for it was taken by the) Maute,” Guyguyon said.

Authorities are currently getting information from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and NAIA on how Syahputra entered the country.

According to ABS-CBN News, Syahputra arrived in Manila on Wednesday night, through NAIA Terminal 3 at 11:42 p.m.

Syahputra is now detained in Camp Crame, as announced by PNP Deputy Spokesperson Chai Madrid, awaiting charges to be filed against him.