Google map of General Santos City.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Authorities arrested two alleged female sympathizers of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and recovered explosives and bomb-making materials in a raid here on Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Eliseo Tam Rasco, director of the Police Regional Office-12, identified the suspects as Bai Nor Aizis Buday and Joyce Ann Fornal, who had reportedly used the aliases Fahima Az-zarah, Jamillah Fornal, Knickerbucker, Umm Omar, Sunset, and Jamillah.
Rasco said the two were nabbed during a search operation around 5:45 in a house on Lot 2, Block 4 of Johnny Ang Subdivision in Barangay Lagao.
A composite team led by elements from the Criminal Investigation Group-12 and the Army-led Joint Task Force GenSan raided the alleged safehouse based on a search warrant dated July 23 issued by Judge Joyce Kho Mirabueno of the Regional Trial Court branch 58, he said.
Recovered inside the house were two rifle grenades, two black flags with ISIS emblem, bomb-making materials, and other pieces of evidence.
A report released by CIDG-12 said the two suspects were connected with the Dawlah Islamiyah Turaife Group, which is based in Maguindanao province.
Its leader, Esmael Abdulmalik alias Abu Turaife, was among the individuals charged over twin bomb attacks last year in Isulan town, Sultan Kudarat.
Buday and Fornal, who will be charged with illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, allegedly purchased bomb-making materials for the Turaife Group.
Meanwhile, an alleged leader of another ISIS-inspired group eluded arrest in an operation in the outskirts of Polomolok town, South Cotabato province on Tuesday.
Armed with an arrest warrant, elements from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-12 and the Polomolok police station stormed the house of suspect Geofrey Nilong in Purok 2 of Barangay Lapu.
Lt. Col. Samuel Cadungon, Polomolok police chief, said the suspect managed to escape as the operatives were approaching the site.
“He was able to get out through a small exit passage in his room,” he said in a radio interview.
He said they recovered at the suspect’s house several suspected bomb-making materials and live bullets.
Cadungon said Nilong is a remnant and self-proclaimed leader of local terror group Ansar Al-Khilafah Philippines, which had pledged support to ISIS.
Nilong was among the persons charged in the Sept. 16, 2018 bombing in front of a lying-inn clinic here that left eight people wounded, he said. (PNA)
