Army, cops arrest MILF member for unauthorized carrying of guns

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 10): Army, cops arrest MILF member for unauthorized carrying of guns

Police arrested here Sunday a man claiming to be a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for carrying firearms without license, police said Monday.

Senior Inspector Rostum Pastolero, police station 3 commander, identified the suspect as Mentato Abutasil, 33, a resident of Barangay Ganta, Kabuntalan, Maguindanao.

He was arrested during a checkpoint operations jointly conducted by Cotabato City police, Army Special Forces Battalion and Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB).

Seized from him were a cal. 45 pistol with 22 bullets and three ammunition.

He said the suspect was driving a motorbike when accosted by government forces.

Under the 1997 government and MILF ceasefire agreement, any member or group of MILF moving around outside the mutually identified MILF controlled areas must secure a clearance from the joint ceasefire committee.

Without necessary documents covered by the ceasefire agreement, a member of the MILF carrying guns will be subjected to Philippine laws.

Abutasil is now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10591 or Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives.

The suspect is now detained at Police Station 3 under heavy guard.

Before the signing of the GPH-MILF peace accord in 2014, members of the MILF arrested for carrying firearms or crimes were "forcibly rescued" in bloody attacks by their comrades.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=930041