A SUSPECTED terrorist was killed in an operation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas and the Philippine Army in Ormoc City, Leyte on Thursday, Nov. 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 Manila in 2016 and the Hilongos, Leyte bombing.
Anulga “already pledged allegiance to Daesh and its recognized caliph, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi,” it added.
The military is still conducting an inventory of the pieces of evidence gathered from the suspect.
Brig. Gen. 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.
Maj. Gen. Noel Clement, commander of the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said that Anulga’s death will deal the terrorist cell in Ormoc a big blow as he is responsible for making improvised explosive devices.
In a separate interview, Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Manuel Abrugena said they are verifying if Anulga had contacts in Cebu. “We are checking our records po and shall consult our AFP counterparts. We shall further refer our findings kung anuman makita namin sa ground sa regional headquarters,” 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 the CIDG in connection with his gunrunning activities.
Anulga was set to go on “Hijirah” to join the local terrorist groups at any camp in Mindanao and intended 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.
Reports say Anulga only recently converted to Islam, and was in Ormoc starting 2016 to recruit people in Ormoc.
Capt. Salve Evangelista, public information officer of the 802ng Brigade of the Philippine Army, said Anulga was a former overseas Filipino worker.
His neighbors said that Anulga once mentioned that he had a wife in Lanao Province, but did not say where specifically.
Last year, three soldiers, a cop, and at least 6 Abu Sayyaf men were killed in a skirmish in Bohol. The foiled terrorist incursion left the other provinces in the region on guard. (RONALD REYES, JOHN KEVIN PILAPIL OF SUPERBALITA CEBU/WITH A REPORT FROM KAL)