THE police on Wednesday, March 30, said the three men arrested in a police operation on March 26 were not terrorists but just ordinary drug suspects.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Office spokesperson Mardy Hortillosa II said the suspects were found to be just transacting illegal drugs in the city.
The suspects identified as Sidic Casubidan, Bittyara Solaiman, and alleged Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) member Oding Alameda were arrested at an inn along Kauswagan highway after police received reports that the suspects left a grenade at a hotel room.
Aside from a firearm and drug paraphernalia, suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu were also seized from the three.
Based on the assessment of the intelligence community, the items recovered from the suspects' possession like the electrical wires, batteries, guns and grenade, electronic gadgets, among others are not connected with any threat group.
Hortillosa said authorities have not found any communications between the suspects and terror group's leaders in the cellphone and laptop seized.
He added the police still probed the activities of the suspects in the city.
Hortillosa urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious personalities to government authorities.
Police Station 1 Chief Maricris Mulat said they are tracking the illegal drug transactions of the suspects in the city.
The authorities, meanwhile, arrested a 58-year-old Korean drug suspect and three other Filipino companions including a minor in a drug bust in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental.
Police identified the suspects as Kevin Young Ju, Aldren Pacuma, Kimberly Bernal, and a 16-year-old minor.
Mulat said the suspects are associated with the Maranao suspects earlier arrested by the police.
Police seized 70 grams of shabu worth nearly half million.
Mulat said the target identified as Deovern Jay Uy evaded arrest.
Suspects were detained and will face charges on violations of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.