Mamasapano residents deny Marwan's body buried in their town 

The residents of a barangay in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao denied that the body of Malaysian terrorist  Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, was buried in their area, GMA News' early evening newscast "24 Oras" reported on Wednesday.

 

Some reports claimed that Marwan was buried beside the Pusaka mosque of Barangay Libutan, the oldest and therefore the most sacred mosque in the entire province of Maguindanao. 

 

The residents also said that they will not allow a terrorist like Marwan to be laid to rest in near the sacred mosque.  

 

"Actually wala naman kaming balita na ganoon. Pagkarinig ng mga tao dito, 'yun din na gabi natatakot sila, umaalis... Natakot sila na kunin 'yung bangkay, kunin daw ng mga military," Barangay Libutan chairman Mosairin Abdul said. 

 

On January 25, the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force launched Oplan Exodus to arrest Marwan and Filipino bomb maker and Abu Sayyaf member Abdul Basit Usman. 

 

The elite police men managed to kill Marwan before a firefight against Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters broke out. 44 SAF men died during the clash.

 

Usman escaped and remains at large.  — Trisha Macas/ELR, GMA News