[Inquirer] A 15-year-old cousin of the founders of the Maute terrorist group surrendered to the Joint Task Force Ranao in Butig, Lanao del Sur.Major Clint Antipala identified the Maute fighter as “AJ.” He was reportedly only 12 years old when recruited in Butig by his cousins Omar and Abdullah. The Maute brothers led the attack and take over of sections of Marawi City last year which sparked five months of fighting with Philippine soldiers.
“He was trained with 12 other members and one of them already surrendered to the 49th IB on October 29,” Antipala said in a statement to the media.
In August, the military reported the surrender of an alias Asnar, 14, also an alleged Maute rebel. The military said Asnar was recruited by Abdullah Maute in 2014, when the boy was only 10 years old.
Military spokesman Edgar Allan Villanueva said, “Nine years old was the youngest recruit (of the Maute Group) and most of these recruits were involved in armed engagement with government forces in the month of February and November of 2016."