By Joseph Jubelag
GENERAL SANTOS SCITY – Security forces arrested over the weekend a suspected member of the Islamic State (IS)-inspired local terror group Ansar Al-khilafah Philippines in Polomolok, South Cotabato.
Supt. Samuel Cadungon, Polomolok police chief, identified the suspect as Aladin Mamo, who was nabbed during a raid conducted by police and military operatives in sitio Bio, Barangay Lapu, Polomolok.
However, he said the raiding team failed to arrest the suspect's bother, Russel Mamo who managed to elude arrest during the raid.
Police said the arrested suspect yielded an improvised explosive device and a fragmentation grenade when frisked.
Police tagged the Mamos as remnants of the AKP local terror group under Jeffrey Nilong who is based in Barangay Lapu, Polomolok.
Nilong's group was blamed for the spate of bomb attacks in the region including the bomb explosion infront of a birthing clinic in Barangay Apopong here last September 2018 which injured at least eight people.
The group was also tagged for a series of criminal activities inclding, robbery, carnapping and gun-for-hire in Polomolok town and nearby areas.
Nilong assumed the post of the late AKP leader Mohammad Jaafar Maguid who was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kiamba, Sarangani in January 2017.