Following the arrest of the patriarch of the wanted Maute terrorist brothers Cayamora Maute on Tuesday morning, authorities in Davao City have heightened security in a bid to thwart possible retaliatory moves from the terrorist group.
The 67-year old Maute is in the custody of the Davao City Police Office along with other four members of his family namely Kongan Alfonso Balawag, his second wife, Nurhanna Balawag Maute, his daughter, Benzarali Tingaw, husband of Nurhanna and Aljon Salazar Ismael, their driver.
Martial Law Spokesperson for Eastern Mindanao Command Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay said that there is a possibility that the Maute brothers Abdullah and Omar or their followers would rescue their father.
“We are on maximum security alert. We have focused on adding security patrols within the DCPO vicinity for possible retaliation of the Maute brothers,” Gapay said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Furthermore, Gapay said that the police will be charging the persons of interest with illegal possession of firearms and explosives after recovering a caliber 45 pistol with ammunition and a hand grenade inside the Toyota Grandia Van they were aboard on.
Gapay also revealed that they are not ruling out the possibility that the elder Maute had been in contact with people before going to Davao city for supposed hospitalization.
As to the health condition of the elder Maute, Gapay have been told by DCPO Chief PSSUPT. Alexander Tagum that there will be a physician to attend to Cayamora Maute since he was not in a good condition.
At about 10 o’clock in the morning of Tuesday, patriarch of the Maute family has been intercepted by police and armed forces in a checkpoint at Sirawan, Toril. They were supposedly on their way to the hospital to seek medication for the elder Maute.
Cayamora Maute has a pending warrant of arrest along with Abdullah Romato Maute and 88 others for five counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. His wife Nurhannah, was also charged for violation of presidential decree 1866 or illegal possession of blasting tabs and incendiary devices issued by the Regional trial court of 12th Division region, Branch 11 at Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
