By Aaron Recuenco
Joint police and military operatives killed Wednesday morning a suspected member of terrorist cell sympathetic to the international terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in a shootout in Ormoc City.
(CALABARZON PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
A report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City identified the slain suspect as Joseph Anulga Jr., alias Dawud, a resident of Sitio Lawis in Barangay Airport in Ormoc City.
Police and military intelligence agents earlier succeeded in arranging for the purchase of a .45 pistol from Anulga for P12,000. The meeting was arranged at 8 a.m. Thursday morning.
But Anulga reportedly noticed that what was given to him was a boodle money, prompting him to shoot the poseur-buyer after sensing that he was dealing with a cop.
Backup soldiers and policemen immediately traded shots with Anulga. He died on the spot.
Based on the background check, Anulga was an Islam convert who has been recruiting in Ormoc City. Reportedly, he was selling the gun to raise money to join the terror group in Mindanao.
Anulga was 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.
Macuto was killed during the Marawi siege.
Police seized two .45 pistol, an improvised explosive device and a motorcycle used by the suspect.
(CALABARZON PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
A report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City identified the slain suspect as Joseph Anulga Jr., alias Dawud, a resident of Sitio Lawis in Barangay Airport in Ormoc City.
Police and military intelligence agents earlier succeeded in arranging for the purchase of a .45 pistol from Anulga for P12,000. The meeting was arranged at 8 a.m. Thursday morning.
But Anulga reportedly noticed that what was given to him was a boodle money, prompting him to shoot the poseur-buyer after sensing that he was dealing with a cop.
Backup soldiers and policemen immediately traded shots with Anulga. He died on the spot.
Based on the background check, Anulga was an Islam convert who has been recruiting in Ormoc City. Reportedly, he was selling the gun to raise money to join the terror group in Mindanao.
Anulga was 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.
Macuto was killed during the Marawi siege.
Police seized two .45 pistol, an improvised explosive device and a motorcycle used by the suspect.