A notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader and his follower were killed during joint law enforcement operations by the military and police in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, on Thursday.
Army Captain Jo-Ann D. Petinglay, the spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WesMinCom) identified the killed Abu Sayyaf leader as Ninok Sappari and his follower Mahdi Abdurahman.
Petinglay said Sappari is the leader of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Lucky 9 group of Sulu which perpetrated the assassinations of military personnel.
An operation was initially conducted at the Almari Beach Resort in Barangay Pahut, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, where the two are said to be staying and looking for possible kidnap victims from the said resort.
Sappari was able to evade apprehending forces and ran to the forested area after noticing the approaching troops and policemen.
Abdurahman was killed at about 2 p.m. during a joint military and police operation at Barangay Pahut, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, while Sappari was neutralized at about 9:30 p.m Thursday at Brgy Nalil, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, during the conduct of pursuit operations. (Francis T. Wakefield)