Explosives seized from ex-Marawi mayor's house

Cagayan De Oro (CNN Philippines, June 28) — More explosives were seized from one of the houses of former Marawi Mayor Sultan Fahad Salic, who is detained on rebellion charges.

A joint police and military team recovered explosives, ammunition, and other materials used for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from Salic's house in Barangay Consuelo, Magsaysay town in Misamis Oriental at around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

They seized an Mk 2 hand grenade, two rifle grenades, 30 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, six non-electric blasting caps which are used to trigger an explosive device, a customized electric switch, two packs of gray powder, and other suspicious materials.

Authorities invited the caretaker of the house for questioning.

The Magsaysay town police and the Martial Law Special Action Group (ML SAG) executed the search warrant  for alleged violation of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

ML SAG is composed of members of the military, the police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Northern Mindanao Police, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, and the anti-illegal drugs agency.

The former Marawi mayor is detained at the jail facility of the CIDG inside the 4th Infantry Division in Cagayan de Oro City, the capital of Misamis Oriental province. He was arrested on June 7 at a checkpoint in Barangay San Martin, Villanueva town in Misamis Oriental.

Salic is facing rebellion charges regarding his alleged involvement in the Maute terror attack in Marawi, but has denied the allegations. His name was in the arrest order issued by Defense Secretary and martial law administrator Delfin Lorenzana dated June 5.

Also read: Former Marawi Mayor Salic denies involvement in Marawi attack

On June 9, authorities also found firearms, explosives, and illegal drugs from Salic's two-storey residence in Xavier Estates Subdivision in Cagayan de Oro.

Read: Shabu recovered from ex-Marawi Mayor's house

On June 24, five kilograms of shabu worth an estimated P25 million were seized from the abandoned houses of Salic and his brother incumbent Vice Mayor Arafat Salic, in Marawi City.

Police said the abandoned houses were occupied by members of the Maute group during the early days of the terror crisis in Marawi.

Cagayan De Oro City-based journalist Alwen Saliring contributed to this report.