A SUB-LEADER of remnants of the Maute group, which led the siege in Marawi City last year, was killed on Sunday in Upper Dimayon, Tagoloan Lanao del Norte, the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) reported in a statement late afternoon Monday. Col. Leonardo I. Peña, chief of the WesMinCom’s unified command staff, said soldiers of the Joint Task Force ZamPeLan (Zamboanga Peninsula Region and Lanao provinces), with members of the Tagoloan police and the National Bureau of Investigation, encountered at least 100 Daulah Islamiyah-Maute remnants under Dianalan Dimnatang Imam, also known as (a.k.a.) Papayungan, and Hadji Rasul Mambuay a.k.a Mercury. “While conducting clearing operation, a team from the 4th Mechanized Battalion was fired upon in Upper Dimayon, firefight ensued which resulted to the neutralization of Mercury,” he said. Mercury, identified as the sub-leader of the group based in Pagayawan, Lanao del Sur, is listed “number 541 in the Martial Law Instruction Number 1 dated September 4, 2017 and has a standing warrant of arrest for Arson.” — Albert F. Arcilla
