18 Maute clan members in Metro Manila surrender to NBI

From the Philippine News Agency (May 31): 18 Maute clan members in Metro Manila surrender to NBI

Some 18 members of the Maute clan surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday to clear their names and deny links to the group responsible for the attacks in Marawi City, the Department of Justice said on Wednesday.

”Meron pong 18 na Muslim na sumurrender sa NBI ang dahilan po ng kanilang pagsuko ay para i-clear nila ang kanilang pangalan. Kung halimbawa sa inyong mga sumuko ngayon wala kayo sarilng abogado hilingin natin sa Public Attorneys Office (PAO) na-aasist kayo kung may problemang legal. Dahil sa sila'y voluntary na sumurrender, dadaan po sila sa ordinary process dito sa NBI kukunan sila ng mga katanungan,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II told reporters during a press conference at the NBI headquarters in Manila.

Aguirre ordered the NBI to conduct a probe on the identities of the surrenderers.

”I tasked the NBI to conduct the investigation on the surrenderers pursuant to the arrest order no. 1 signed by martial law administrator Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana orders arrest of 125 Maute group members for rebellion,” Aguirre said.

”Hihilingin natin sa kanila na kung wala naman silang dahilan para sila'y idetain, baka po pauwiin sila at hilingin na sila'y bukas (Thursday) bumalik para magawa SOP ng NBI,” the DOJ chief added.

The group, which include women and children, were accompanied by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) South Luzon Regional Director lawyer Dalomilang Parahiman.

According to Parahiman, the group includes some of his relatives who are also from Lanao del Sur.

“They are law abiding citizens. Their only crime is their surname is Maute,” Parahiman told reporters, adding that most of these Mautes have been residing in Manila for more than 30 years.

The NCMF official lamented among them are boys aged two and 10 who are even included in the arrest order of the government for having namesakes of Maute group members.

Parahiman suspects intelligence informants might have mistook them as a group of Maute members who have infiltrated Metro Manila.

He noted that they flew to Manila just days before the fighting in Marawi City and were supposed to go to Saudi Arabia for an Islamic Umrah pilgrimage.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/992543