Angry Maranaos vow to help hunt Hapilon, et al

Isnilon Hapilon (center) is shown in this image taken from 

an undated video at a meeting with militants, offering a rare 

glimpse of the purported leader of the Islamic State (IS) in 

Southeast Asia and the terrorist group’s operations. 

(AP | Manila Bulletin)

MARAWI CITY, June 11 – Irate Maranaos have vowed to help hunt Isnilon Hapilon and his cohorts, saying their volunteerism is “not only for the money but principally in retaliation to his importation of war (in this city) that made lives more difficult in our community.”

Among the volunteering Maranaos is a retired police senior superintendent whose family was forced to flee to Iligan City and learned lately that his residential house was one of edifices destroyed in the aftermath of the siege staged here on May 23 by militants led by Hapilon and fellow Islamic State-inspired Abdullah and Omar Maute.

“The least that I could do is tip off authorities on his (Hapilon’s) exact location. If cornered, I won’t cuff him. I would shoot him fatally because I know he would pull the trigger on me,” the retired police official told the Bulletin in vernacular.

“With the way they turned our city into rubble, I now believe that they are not only un-Islamic but earthly demons,” the 65-year old ex-lawman said in profuse anger.

For Kamar and Sainodin, both displaced Maranao traders in their late 40s, taking the life of Hapilon became “halal” or permissible because he had breached the Islamic conditions for jihad (holy war), such as his destruction of lives and properties of innocent civilians, notably fellow Muslims.

“If I have a weapon even a bolo when I see Hapilon, I won’t hesitate to hack him,” Kamar said in a quivering voice while gazing at a photo of the long-wanted Abu Sayyaf leader and IS-anointed “emir” in Southeast Asia.

The angry volunteers reached out to The Manila Bulletin to express their sentiments amid military reports that Hapilon is still believed holed out in this war-ravaged city.

President Duterte has reportedly offered a P10-million bounty for the head of Hapilon and P5 million each for the capture of Maute brothers Omar and Abdullah.

Kamar said, if given the chance, the bounty for Hapilon would suffice as “diat” or indemnity for the death of two relatives and for their “badly disrupted” trading businesses.

The souls of slain innocent civilians will perhaps rest in peace once Hapilon is dead,” said another irate Maranao, a student who was forced to enroll somewhere else due to the hostilities here. (Tabak-DPAO)