Maute Group founded by ex-cops dealing in illegal drugs, says Duterte

ILIGAN CITY: President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that the Maute Group fighting government troops in Marawi City was founded by two brothers – Abdullah and Omar Maute – who were former police officers involved in illegal drugs.

“They were policemen in Manila who got enamoured with the money of syabu,” he said.

“Umuwi dito (They returned here) and established one of the biggest factories of syabu in Lanao del Sur,” Duterte said in a speech before soldiers of the Army’s 2nd Mechanised Battalion yesterday.

He said money from the drugs trade was used “to fuel the movement”.

Awash with cash, the brothers were able to recruit followers, and according to the president, got hold of locally-sourced weapons, turning the former drug gang into the government’s “formidable enemy”.

Through the Maute Group, Duterte said the Islamic State (IS), the international terror group which has waged a brutal war in the Middle East, was able to enter the country.

“You can say that IS is here already,” he said, pointing out that the group had been using the black flag of IS.

“Some of the members, however, might have just went along for other reasons. Maybe they were disgruntled followers of some politicians or they might be angry with the government.”

He said the Maute Group even “imported” Isnilon Hapilon, a sub-leader of the bandit group Abu Sayyaf, whom the IS had anointed as its “emir” or leader in the Philippines.

“So that’s our problem,” Duterte told the soldiers. “And you’re going to fight. You have to fight every day until this conflict is resolved. I could only pray for you.”

“I will pray for you and I will answer for everything,” he added, even expressing his willingness to join them into battle “if only I could”.

“You can arrest any person. Search any house,” Duterte said.

The president also told troops not to worry about possible consequences and ramifications in the implementation of martial rule.

“I and I alone would be responsible,” he said. “I’m a leader. I’m supposed to lead the way. If you go down, I go down.”

He also pledged to put all the necessary military assets at the troops’ disposal.

“I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel for money to see you through,” he said. “I’ll give you all you need. Just wait for the new firearms.”

In the meantime, he said: “We have the weapons, the equipment and the air assets to help you.”

Duterte also emphasised the need to minimise collateral damage.

“Because if people are against us, medyo mahirapan tayo (we might face some difficulty),” he said. — Philippine Daily Inquirer / Asia News Network