Philippine military arrest parents, relatives of Maute rebel’s leaders

DAVAO CITY, Philippines, June 6 (Xinhua) — Philippine authorities early on Tuesday arrested the parents of Maute brothers, the leaders of an Islamic State-affiliate group who are fighting with government security forces in the southern Philippines.

Cayamora Maute, his wife Farhana and two other relatives were apprehended at a military checkpoint in Davao City, said Davao City police chief Alexander Tagum.

The couple and two in-laws were onboard a black van when stopped by soldiers manning a roadblock in Sirawan village, Toril district, some 20 km south of the city.

Tagum, the police official, said Mr. Maute, who wore a mask in an apparent attempt to conceal his identity as pictures of him, his wife and other relatives tagged as terrorists have been circulated, was identified after being held by soldiers.

The group’s driver was briefly held.

Abdullah and Omar, the two Maute brothers founded an armed group that occupied the Muslim city Marawi of 200, 000 people from late May, triggering an ongoing fighting that prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the southern region under martial law.

The clashes, which saw Maute gunmen planting IS flags, burning buildings and taking hostages, has left over 170 people dead and most of the city’s population displaced.