Three suspected Maute-ISIS remnants were killed in a law enforcement operation by the police and military in Lanao del Norte Thursday morning.

Maj. Ronald Suscano, public affairs chief of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, said troops of Joint Task Group Lanao del Norte (JTG LDN) under Joint Task Force “ZamPeLan” and Pantar Police were conducting joint operation in the vicinity of Brgy Lumba Punud in Pantar when they neutralized the three around 2:30 am.

“Daiser and two other unidentified terrorists were shot dead after resisting arrest and fighting it out with the enforcers,” he said.

Suscano said Brig. Gen. William Alunday, JTG-LDN commander, identified one of the two slain Maute-ISIS members as Omar Daiser.

“The cadavers have been taken by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Pantar for proper disposition and later claimed By Bokari Abdulgani, municipal councilor of Pantar,” he said.

Alunday said: “Omar Daiser is a fugitive who escaped from Marawi City Jail, joined the Maute-ISIS group and was utilized as ISIS contact person in Pantar during the Marawi rebellion.”

“The subject has a standing warrant of arrest for the crime of robbery with homicide issued by the Marawi City Regional Trial Court,” he said.

“He is known to be an illegal drug user and pusher and a follower of Solitario Ali, former Mayor of Marawi City who is involved in illegal drug trade,” he added.

Suscano said troops also recovered war materials: four M16 armalite rifles, one M203 GL, one FAL rifle and one Pietro beretta 9mm pistol with markings PNP property, assorted ammunition and bandoleers after the clash.

He said, citing Major General Roseller Murillo, commander of the Army’s 1st ID, “the government forces will continue to intensify its internal security operations in Joint Task Force “ZAMPELAN’s” area of operations to neutralize the remnants of terrorist groups in Marawi”. Robina Asido/DMS