MANILA -- A Taguig court designated to hear cases related to the Maute Group's takeover of Marawi City two years ago has convicted a man with alleged ties to the Islamic State for illegally possessing a gun.
In a 13-page joint judgment dated May 29 and made available to newsmen Friday, RTC Branch 266 Judge Marivic C. Vitor sentenced Indonesian national Muhammad Ilham Syahputra to a prison term of up to 10 years for illegal possession of firearms, pursuant to Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act (RA 10591).
Syahputra was arrested in Barangay Luksa Datu, Marawi City on Nov. 1, 2017 by police operatives who conducted a clearing operation in the area in response to a complaint about an armed man in the area.
During his arrest, the suspect yielded a Caspian pistol SN 475269, a grenade, ammunition and both local and foreign currency in several denominations. He was arraigned on Jan. 18, 2018.
Earlier reports said the suspect was among members of a group that was behind a 2016 suicide bombing in Jakarta that killed eight people. (PNA)
