High powered firearms, IED components, black flags seized in Datu Odin Sinsuat

June 6, 2017 - 6:41 PM
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Datu Odin Sinsuat firearms raid
Troops gather assortment of firearms seizied at the Datu Odin Sinsuat raid. Photograph from 6th Infantry Division PA Office.

An assortment of high-powered firearms, components for making improvised explosive devices and other paraphernalia including black flags, were seized early Tuesday at Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao after a raid conducted by government security forces comprising units from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 19th Infantry Brigade, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and law enforcers from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Two persons were arrested after the raid, conducted just before dawn at Sitio Nabilan, Barangay Dimapatoy, which is situated not far from the location of the 6th Infantry Division camp at Brgy Awang beyond the Awang Airport complex.

Map Dimapatoy Cotabato
Map shows location of Bgy Dimapatoy in Cotabato.

Datu Odin Sinsuat PNP Office’s Chief Inspector Akmad Alibonga identified the suspects as Kamarodin Butukan Rajab and Akmad Ginta Acob.

The raid’s main objective was to take in a higher-ranking person of interest, Iskak Mohamad, on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Bansawan Ibrahim.

Among the items seized were high caliber weapons such as the AK47 assault rifle, five M16 armalitte rifles, two carbines, one caliber .45 pistol, two shotguns, an improvised rocket-propelled grenage launcher, a caliber .50 caliber Barrett rifle with scope, and an assortment of components for assembling improvised explosive devices and hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a black flag.

The two suspects have been taken by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Cotabato City, and processed for appropriate charges, even as a pursuit operation against Iskak Mokamad is ongoing.

The affiliations of the arrested suspect are among the information being sought in the interrogation and investigation process.