A hardcore sniper of the Islamic State-inspired Maute terrorist who survived in the last leg of the liberation of Marawi City last year was arrested by police operatives in Cubao, Quezon City Monday.
The arrest came 15 days before the Marawi City siege anniversary.
National Capital Region Police Office director Camilo Cascolan identified the Maute terrorist as Unday Macadato, who was collared by police operatives at his safehouse along Felix Manalo Street at 4:55 p.m.
PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde along with Cascolan presented Unday to the media Tuesday morning in Camp Crame.
Cascolan said the arrest of Unday were effected following a tip from an anonymous informant who reported a gun-toting man threatening passersby, bystanders and neighbors at his supposed hideout.
Cascolan immediately dispatched police and intelligence units from the NCRPO headquarters led by Insp. Segundino Bulan and Supt. Andres Simbajon Jr. who went to the said address and eventually arrested Macadato.
The Maute terrorist was in possession of a firearm and an explosive and tried to resist but was subdued by police operatives.
Cascolan confirmed that Macadato was indeed n Maute member and is listed in the Martial Law Instruction No. 1.
Reports said that Macadato was among the nearly thousands of combined Abu Sayyaf Group led by the late Isnilon Hapilon and Maute group who launched a simultaneous attack in Marawi City in May 23, 2017.
Authorities could not yet establish as when and how Macadato was able to slip out at the main battle zone despite a heavy cordon put up by composite security forces at the height of the final chapter of Marawi City.
The last bastion of the Maute group was decimated on October 23, the day President Rodrigo Duterte declared the liberation of Marawi from the clutches of the terrorists.
Several hundreds of terrorists, soldiers and civilian hostages were killed during the siege.
Both the military and police are still hunting the remnants of the terrorist group involved in the Marawi City siege who arebelieved hiding either in Lanao del Sur and adjoining provinces in Mindanao or in Metro Manila.
Cascolan expressed his gratitude to the public for their trust and confidence to the police leading to the arrest of Macadato.
“Immediate reporting of significant information. Concerns/complaints of the public to the police and the quick appropriate response of the
police will eventually yield positive results,” Cascolan said.
“Kapag ang lahat ay nagkakaisa at magtutulungan, tiyak makakamit natin ang kapayapaan,” Cascolan said.