Myrna Mabanza was arrested near the town of Indanan in the southern Sulu island group, a stronghold of an IS-linked armed militant group called Abu Sayyaf, according to a statement from Manila’s Anti-Terrorism Council.
The US treasury department in 2018 listed Philippines-based Mabanza as a “facilitator for terror”, saying she supported the Philippine branch of ISIS, an alternate name for IS.
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Islamic State says leader killed by al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria
It accused her of “assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of” ISIS-Philippines.
The US and Philippine governments both alleged the 32-year-old was involved in two 2016 fund transfers – one of up to US$107,000 – to the then leader of the Abu Sayyaf militant group and ISIS-Philippines, Isnilon Hapilon.
Mabanza was also alleged to have served as intermediary between Hapilon and IS elements in Syria.
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The unnamed representative came to the Philippines to purchase arms for IS-aligned forces in Indonesia and set up training courses for Indonesian recruits on firearms use and bomb-making, they added.
Hapilon, who was on the US “Most Wanted Terrorists” list, was killed in October 2017 near the end of a five-month siege by Philippine troops against hundreds of IS-linked gunmen who had seized the southern Muslim city of Marawi.
“Mabanza’s arrest marks another positive note for the Philippines’ whole-of-nation campaign to address terrorism and terrorism financing,” Manila’s statement said.
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Mabanza, described by official sources as a Philippine national, is being held without bail and will be tried on terror financing charges, it added.
Her arrest “marks another positive note” for the Philippines’ efforts to exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the council said. The Philippines is eyeing to exit the list this year.
The FATF, an intergovernmental organisation combating money laundering and terrorism financing, added the Philippines to the list in June 2021 for what it said was the risk of money laundering from casino junkets and lack of prosecution for terrorism funding cases, among other reasons.