By LITO RULONACorrespondent
AUTHORITIES yesterday said they were looking into the possibility that one of the three suspected terrorists arrested here on Sunday received training from the military.
Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, Camp Evangelista spokesperson, said the 4th Infantry Division and Camp Alagar were validating claims by suspect Oding Magompara Alamada that he is a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) in Marawi City.
The claim that Alamada is a militiaman raised serious concerns that a suspected terrorist may have received training from the military itself.
Alameda was among three Maranaos who were arrested at a motel in Barangay Kauswagan, this city, late Sunday afternoon.
Police said the suspects yielded two grenades, connector pins and electrical wires, cellphones, laptop, batteries, a caliber .45 pistol, suspected shabu and drug parapernalia.
Alamada had two alleged Cafgu identification cards, one of which was signed by one Col. Luis Vincent Tacderas and bore the number 16041162.
An older ID had the supposed signature of one Col. Edilberto Soratos, and it had the number LS-G10-0001270PA.
On Monday, Alamada told the Gold Star Daily that the new ID, with the markings “12 LS 5IB 11th Infantry Division” and valid until 2018, was given to him by one Maj. Rago at Camp Ranao in Marawi City two months ago.
Martinez said officials would check if Alamada was really in the list of militiamen of Camp Ranao in Marawi City.
“We are checking the veracity and authenticity of the Cafgu card that was confiscated by the police,” Martinez said.
Alamada was arrested inside Room 64 of Resonance motel while his alleged companions, Sidic Oraco Casubidan and Bittyara Sainodin Solaiman, were caught while trying to leave the establishment on board a Tamaraw FX van.
Divisoria police chief Senior Insp. Maricris Mulat said the suspects were charged with violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act, and the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday.
Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Lemuel Gonda confirmed that police authorities were coordinating with the military in gathering more information about Alamada and the other suspects.
“Dili pa gyud nato ma-confirm kung miembro ba gyud siya sa Cafgu kay ongoing pa man ang investigation,” Gonda said.
He said there was intelligence information about the suspects’ alleged links to the dreaded Maute terrorist group in central Mindanao but added that it still needed validation.
Gonda said all the intelligence reports that reached Camp Alagar would soon be validated. He said Camp Alagar was also waiting for members of an intelligence group from Lanao to identify the suspects.
Police said it received intelligence information as early as two weeks ago that members of the Maute group would launch attacks in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
Alamada and the other suspects earlier denied the allegations, and accused the police of making up stories and planting evidence against them.