Authorities have arrested the principal suspect in the February ambush on the convoy of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr., the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) said Friday.
In a statement, the military said the suspect, identified as Lomala Baratumo, 42, was arrested at a checkpoint in Sitio Morales, Barangay Centrala in Surallah town on Thursday.
Colonel Andre Santos, commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, said Baratumo has a standing warrant of arrest for murder issued by the 12th Judicial Region, Branch 8, Marawi City.
The military and police have been working together since February in tracking the suspect, according to Santos.
Baratumo is now under the custody of the South Cotabato ProvincialPolice Office and will be turned over to Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office for proper disposition, the military said.
On February 17, gunmen ambushed the convoy of Adiong in Kalilangan, Bukidnon, and killed four of his companions.
The fatalities were identified as Police Staff Sergeant Mohammad Jurai Mipanga Adiong, 40; Police Corporal Johanie Lawi Sumandar, 39; PoliceCorporal Jalil Ampuan Cosain, 40, and a driver identified only as Kobi.
Adiong survived while two of his staff were hurt in the attack.
One of the suspects identified only as “Otin” was killed during pursuit operations conducted from February 17 to 19, police said.
Another prime suspect in the ambush, identified as Oscar “Tacmar” Capal Gandawali, was also killed in a police operation on May 3.
Police Regional Office 12 (Soccsksargen) Chief, Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, lauded the South Cotabato Police for the arrest in Surallahtown of one of the suspects in the Feb. 17 ambush of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr.’s convoy.
“We commend the unwavering efforts and great synergy of all units,” Macaraeg said in a statement Friday.
Baratomo, alias Commander Lomala, of Barangay Bato-Bato, Maguing, Lanao del Sur, did not resist arrest when nabbed at a checkpoint in Surallah.
“This success is a testament to the relentless commitment of the PRO-12, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies to protect the communities and bring the criminals behind bars to serve justice to the victims,” Macaraeg said.
Col. Earl Cydrick Tamayo, South Cotabato Police director, said Baratomo was arrested at a police and Army checkpoint in Barangay Centrala at about 3 p.m. on Thursday, based on the arrest warrant for murder issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 8, 12th Judicial Region in Marawi City.
Tamayo said their office has received intelligence information as early as February that Baratomo was hiding in Surallah, specifically in the house of an unidentified friend.
“We conducted several months of surveillance after we received the report from the intelligence community. And when it was ripe to serve the warrant of arrest without bloodshed, we did it successfully,” he told reporters in an interview Friday.
According to Tamayo, Baratomo said he left Maguing “because he could no longer stand the heat” as everybody seemed to be after his head.
Tamayo did not say if the suspect admitted to having participated in the ambush incident.
Baratomo belonged to the Gandawali private armed group in Lanao del Sur.