A SUSPECTED terrorist was killed in an operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas and the Philippine Army in Ormoc City, Leyte on Thursday, November 22.
Authorities identified the suspect as Joseph Anulga Jr., alias Dawud, a resident of Sitio Lawis, Barangay Airport, Ormoc City.
A report from the Philippine Army said Anulga was suspected of gunrunning.
The military also believed he was linked to Dawlah Islamiya, a loyal terrorist group inspired by the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (Isis).
The military also linked Anulga to Yusuf Macuto, primary suspect in the foiled bombing of the US Embassy in 2016 and the Hilongos, Leyte bombing.
Anulga “already pledged allegiance to Daesh and its recognized caliph, Abu Bakr Al Baghdad,” it added.
The military is still conducting an inventory of the pieces of evidence gathered from the suspect.
Brigadier General Lope Dagoy, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade based in Camp Jorge Downes in Ormoc, said Anulga's death "shows the government’s conviction in protecting the people from these lawless elements."
"This is a clear message that your Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police will not allow neither tolerate terror groups in our midst," he said.
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez lauded the joint intelligence operation, saying the government “will not tolerate any acts and personalities who can and may bring harm and terrorism in Ormoc.”
Ormoc is just three hours away by fastcraft from Cebu City.
“The PNP and the Army will work hard to take them out of our city by all means,” Gomez told Sunstar Philippines.
According to the military, Anulga resisted arrest during an operation conducted by CIDG in connection with his gunrunning activities.
Anulga is set to go on "Hijirah" to join the local terrorist groups at any camp in Mindanao and intends to die as a martyr of Islam, added the military.
“Anulga is a direct associate of the late Yusuf Macuto. Macuto was involved in a foiled plot to bomb the US Embassy last November 2016 and the main suspect in the Hilongos bombing last December 2016, and was killed during the Marawi siege,” it said.
The joint operation was conducted by the 802nd Brigade, Military Intelligence Group 24, Military Intelligence Group 8, and CIDG at the vicinity of Sitio Lawis in Barangay Airport, Ormoc City, around 8 a.m. Thursday. (Ronald O. Reyes/John Kevin Pilapil of Superbalita Cebu/SunStar Philippines)