Seven suspected Abu Sayyaf arrested in Zamboanga City

May 17, 2017

Seven suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members were arrested by government troops in Zamboanga City last Sunday, a regional military spokesperson said Wednesday. Captain Jo-ann Petinglay, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command spokesperson, said arrested were Salip Alip, Benhar Hasin, Bargen Hasim, Karim Majad, Hadani Odjor, Mohammad Hatuirdin, and Jamric Ismani. Petinglay said the suspects who were staging a robbery on a sari-sari store in Barangay Buenavista, Zamboanga City, were accosted by troops of the 111th Marine Company along the road of Barangay Muti Highway around 10:05pm. She said one of the suspects arrested, a certain Alip has a warrant of arrest for murder. “He is involved in the murder of eight fishermen on Siromon island in Zamboanga City on January 10, 2017; the strafing of a rural bus in Barangay Buenavista, this city on February 14, 2017; and the murder of Ronald Juela in Barangay Buti, this city on November 10, 2016,” Petinglay said. She said, according to Colonel Leonel Nicolas, the commander of the Joint Task Force Zamboanga, seized from the seven local terrorists were a caliber .45 pistol without pertinent documents belonging to Alip, two magazines loaded with ammunition, and three motorcycles boarded by the subjects when they were accosted by the troops.” “The arrested persons and seized items were brought to the Curuan Police Station for proper documentation and filing of charges,” she added. Petinglay said “Joint Task Force Zamboanga coordinated with the various intelligence units for the conduct of custodial debriefing on the arrested persons. “As of press time, follow-up intelligence operations are ongoing,” she said. (Robina Asido/DMS)