SECURITY forces arrested the widow of the Maute group chieftain at her residence in Cotabato City Tuesday afternoon.
Senior Insp. Jemar delos Santos, spokesman for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police identified the suspect as Najiya Dilangalen Karon-Maute, 37, widow of Mohammad Khayam Maute, the top leader of the Islamic State-inspired Maute group.
The suspect was included in the Department of National Defense arrest order No. 2 dated June 5, 2017 for the crime of rebellion.
Mohammad Kayam Maute was killed during the last stretch of intense fighting with security forces inside the main battle area in Marawi City in October.
Aside from Kayam Maute, also killed in the Marawi fighting was Isnilon Hapilon, the Abu Sayyaf Group chieftain and emir of ISIS in Southeast Asia.
Karon-Maute, 37, was being interrogated about her role in the terrorist group.
The DND has issued arrest orders in pursuit of suspected terror group members in all parts of Mindanao, which has been placed under martial law since May 2017.
In Maguindanao, fighting between two groups of Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels sent more than 2,000 families fleeing from their homes in the last two days, police said Wednesday.
A teacher, identified by the Datu Saudi Ampatuan police office as Baidido Kamansa, 44, was hit by stray bullet in the head while a kilometer away from warring MILF fighters in Barangay Madia, Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
Sr. Supt. Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police director, said those involved in the firefight were members of MILF 105th base command under Commander Haon Sindatuk and MILF’s 118th base command headed by Commander Datu Adam.
Two fighters from both sides were reportedly killed, according to police while six others were injured.
The group of Adam attacked the group of Sindatuk Monday morning, police said.
Heavy fighting lasted for about three hours.
Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said intervention by an international monitoring team eased tensions by Wednesday morning. With PNA