DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte — A man identified by police as a commander of a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) base command has been arrested in a manhunt operation in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, after a court issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an arson case involving the burning of a barangay official’s house and motorcycle in Maguindanao del Sur.
The suspect, identified by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) only by the alias “Kumander,” was arrested at around 11:30 a.m. on November 10, 2026, during a joint intelligence-driven operation conducted by the CIDG Cotabato City Field Unit and several police units.
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Authorities said the operation was carried out with the assistance of the CIDG Tracker Team, the 1404th Maneuver Force Company of Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14-A, and the Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Police Station.
The arrest was made by virtue of a warrant issued on October 2, 2026, by a court in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, in connection with a charge of arson. The warrant carried no recommended bail, according to the CIDG report submitted to CIDG Director Police Major General Robert A.A. Morico II.
House and motorcycle burned amid alleged land dispute and clan feud
The case stemmed from an incident on July 2, 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m., when the suspect, together with 26 other co-accused, allegedly set fire to the house and motorcycle of a barangay kagawad in Barangay Linantangan, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur.
Initial findings cited by investigators pointed to a land dispute and an alleged clan feud, locally known as rido, as the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following an investigation and case build-up, the CIDG Cotabato City Field Unit filed an arson complaint against 16 suspects before the Prosecution Service. The proceedings eventually led to the issuance of arrest warrants against the accused.
The CIDG report identified the arrested man as one of those implicated in the case. However, the allegations against him remain subject to judicial proceedings.
CIDG vows to pursue remaining wanted suspects
The CIDG leadership commended Police Lieutenant Colonel Eugene A. Balugo, officer-in-charge of CIDG Regional Field Unit 15 (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region) and former chief of the CIDG Cotabato City Field Unit, as well as Police Captain Lyndon G. Mondragon, the unit’s current chief, and the participating police personnel for the successful operation.
The agency described the arrest as the result of sustained investigation, intelligence gathering, case preparation, and the implementation of a court-issued warrant.
It emphasized that the investigation did not end with the filing of charges, as operatives continued monitoring the case and pursued the accused until an opportunity to implement the warrant arose.
The arrest represents a significant development in the effort to hold those allegedly responsible for the burning accountable, particularly for the victim whose property was destroyed in the incident.
The CIDG reiterated its commitment to tracking down wanted individuals and fugitives and enforcing the law without fear or favor.
Authorities did not provide further details on the identities or arrest status of the other accused. The case also highlights the continuing challenge of addressing violent incidents reportedly linked to land conflicts and clan disputes in parts of Maguindanao del Sur.