REMNANTS of the Dawla Islamiya-Maute group are being sustained by a network of corrupt politicians, religious leaders, and drug runners, despite sustained military operations in Lanao del Sur.
The revelation follows a weekend clash in Lumbayanague town, where a joint team of soldiers and police killed three suspected militants and arrested three others, including a woman.
The encounter in Barangay Lamin reignited fears among residents, reminding them that the group, though small, can still pose a threat as it did during the 2017 Marawi siege.
Drieza Lininding, head of the Marawi Consensus Group, said the militants, having run out of money from the Islamic State, have “to find innovative ways to get money from local sources.”
He explained that the group acts as private armies for corrupt politicians in exchange for cash and also sells drugs to fund their operations.
Lininding added that the militants are also “drawing inspiration from few ulamas,” or religious leaders, who preach an ISIS-inspired ideology that appeals to young Maranaos.
Brig. Gen. Billy de la Rosa, commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, confirmed that the encounter occurred as authorities attempted to serve arrest warrants to five key leaders of the terror group.
The suspects, with outstanding warrants for murder and homicide, were hiding in a cluster of houses when they opened fire on the government forces.
The three killed militants were identified as Mohammad Naif Pangandama, Abdullah Midtuon, and a woman named Rahma. The three arrested were Fahad Sario Maruhom, Norhan Kamid, and Asnawi Abdullah. One soldier was wounded but is in stable condition.
De la Rosa noted that only one of the combatants was a veteran of the Marawi siege, with the rest being new recruits.
He said the group chose to hide in Lumbayanague, a town adjacent to the Maute group’s birthplace of Butig, but vowed that “there is no place in Lanao del Sur” for them to be safe.
Recovered from the scene were various weapons and two black flags with ISIS markings.
