AFP: Intensified coordination effect arrest of 59 suspicious persons in Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): AFP: Intensified coordination effect arrest of 59 suspicious persons in Mindanao

The arrest of 59 suspicious persons, reportedly allied with Maute Group remnants, reflect the high degree of coordination and cooperation between government agencies and allied organizations.

The suspects were nabbed last July 25 in Ipil, Zamboanga Del Sur and Guiwan, Zamboanga City.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo, in a statement Friday, said 32 persons were accosted in Ipil, Zamboanga Del Sur and another 27 in Barangay Guiwan in Zamboanga City.

When questioned, the suspects claimed they are members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) headed to Camp Jabalnur in Lanao Del Sur for training.

Arevalo said the group bagged in Barangay Guiwan claimed they are connected to the individuals intercepted in Ipil.

However, their claim were denied by the MNLF who said they have no knowledge of their fighters undergoing such training.

Confiscated from the possession of these individuals were military and police uniforms.

Arevalo said the 59 individuals were flown by military aircraft from Edwin Andrews Airbase in Zamboanga City to Villamor Air Base, Pasay City Friday afternoon for further questioning and custody in an appropriate facility while charges are being prepared for violation of the Revised Penal Code relating to the crime of rebellion.

"These two instances of arrest, and of the other group who knowingly misrepresented themselves to be soldiers and policemen on their way to Marawi City, should allay the fears of our people of the likelihood of the rebellion in Marawi spilling over to their places because the military and the police are doing their level bests to contain it," Arevalo said.

He added that with Martial Law in force in entire Mindanao, the military can validly restrict and effect arrests of suspicious persons and unscrupulous groups whose actions bear with the rebellion.

As this develops, AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año said the military will do everything it can to forestall any rebellion attempts especially in Marawi City and other parts of the country.

"Your AFP-- bestowed with the abiding support and cooperation by our people and local government -- will crush any unscrupulous attempts that would tend to support rebellion by the Maute-ISIS Group," he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1003562