An alleged Maute Group member who fled Marawi during last year's fighting was arrested by police in Quezon City on Monday.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Camilo Pancratius Cascolan identified the suspect as Unday Macadato in a press briefing on Tuesday.

Cascolan said Macadato was apprehended during a police operation at the vicinity of Felix Manalo st. in Cubao, Quezon City around 4:55 pm.

He said the police operation was conducted following reports about a person who displayed his firearms and threatened bystanders and his neighbors.

Cascolan said police recovered one cal. 45 pistol and a grenade from Macadato.

“The operatives immediately responded the complaint and arrested Unday Macadato for illegal possession of firearm and explosive,” he said.

“Further, custodial investigation found out that Macadato was an alleged Maute member and listed in the Martial Law Instruction (Arrest Order) No. 1,” he added.

Cascolan said Macadato is one of the terrorists who escaped from Marawi City during the siege.

“Actually he escaped. They got out of Marawi. They got out of Mindanao so they will not be arrested because we all know that we have an intense deployment of intelligence personnel in Mindanao,” he said.

PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde said the terrorists in southern Philippines used Metro Manila as their “safe heaven”.

“If they are (being targeted ) in Mindanao, they come here. They rest. They earn money while they are being targeted in their area in Mindanao. That is why they do not create problem here in Metro Manila because this is their safe heaven,” he said.

“That is why Metro Manila is called wide area so they went here to rest and lay low,” Albayalde added.

Albayalde said the arrest of the Maute Group member in Metro Manila is a good indication people in the community are cooperating with police.

“It only means that our police forces are working hard, This is one indication that our intelligence operatives are doing their (job)… the collection of intelligence monitoring and information and off course it is good indication that our communities are cooperating with our police forces to our intelligence operatives in providing information to us,” he said.

“This is one good indication of the participation of the community in our peace and order program or peace and order concern,” Albayalde added. Robina Asido/DMS