DAVAO CITY -- Authorities arrested a deputy of most wanted Moro rebel leader Abdullah Macapaar, alias Kumander Bravo, in Marawi City Thursday.

The arrested lieutenant of Kumander Bravo was identified as Tagoranao Mangondaya, alias Kumander Dragon, who was nabbed along with three others, including a soldier, during a raid in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) lair in Barangay Mocadukuloni, Marawi City early morning of Thursday.

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Around 3 a.m., a composite team of police commandos and intelligence agents raided two safe houses of Dragon in the city with the rebels fighting it out for about 20 minutes.

Aside from Mangondaya, other arrested suspects were identified as Saaben Mangondaya, brother of Kumander Dragon; his cousin Sultan Esmaytin, a government soldier; and a certain Basher Gabisalik.

Kumander Dragon was said to be the logistics officer and chief of the "urban terrorist group" of the MILF's 102nd Base Command led by Kumander Bravo, who was responsible for the August 2008 attack in several towns of Lanao del Norte province that resulted in the death of civilians.

A caliber .50 Barrett sniper rifle, two M-16 rifles, a M-14 rifle, a caliber 22 rifle with telescope, and two fragmentation grenades were recovered from the suspects.

Reports showed that Kumander Dragon admitted that he knew Kumander Bravo but denied he is his right-hand man.

"Kilala ko si Kumander Bravo pero hindi ko alam bakit ako dinakip," he was quoted as saying.

The group was brought to Camp Alagar in Cagayan de Oro City. They will be charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Kumander Bravo is one of the three MILF commanders being hunted down by police and military forces in Mindanao. He has a P10 million bounty on his head.

The two other MILF commanders wanted for civilian attacks in North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte are Ameril Umbra Kato and Aleem Sulayman Pangalian. The government is offering P10 million and P5 million, respectively, for their arrest.

The three Moro leaders are facing a string of criminal charges for the attacks that took place after the MILF and the government failed to sign a Bangsamoro land accord in Malaysia in August 2008.

The Moro rebel is, meanwhile, mum on Dragon's arrest.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they will first look into the issues surrounding the rebel’s arrest. (BOT/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)