The seven passengers, including 2 minors, were supposed to leave for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on board Cebu Pacific flight 5J 499 when they were intercepted by Bureau of Immigration personnel.
Red Mariñas, Immigration Port Operations Division head, said some of seven passengers have the Maute surname.
He added that it is part of their protocol to check whether the seven passengers are members of the Maute clan fighting with government forces in Marawi City.
BI spokesperson Atty. Ma. Antonette Mangrobang said they are investigating four of the seven passengers because they have the same names as those listed in an arrest order released by the military.
“Four of the seven passengers … have namesakes in the arrest order, so there is a need to further verify their identities with the PNP, CIDG, and the NBI,” Mangrobang told ANC.
The other three passengers were later released because they have no records with the BI, Mangrobang added.
Yasser Dumaraya Maute, one of the four who are being investigated, denied links to the Maute terrorist group.
“We aren’t of the same clan. Very far. You know, with family names, like with anyone else, there are Juans’, Dela Cruz’. We just have similar names, but we don’t have any relationship,” he said.
He said he was able to leave the country last month without any problem.
“We can’t do anything, it’s up to them to decide. But it really bothers me. When we left last June 5 for a pilgrimage and returned on the 28th, the flight was fine. Only now [are we having issues].” Maute said.
The passengers have claimed they were supposed to visit Malaysia to take religious studies, a requisite to become an imam or Muslim religious leader, BI’s Mangrobang said.
Three of the passengers were brought to Camp Crame while one more was held at the National Bureau of Investigation pending further investigation. – Report from Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News and Raoul Esperas
Republished from ABS-CBN News
