A suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group who has been working as a security guard in an upscale mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City was arrested by the police last Wednesday.
Police Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, identified the suspect as Aldemar Saiyari, legal age, of Soldiers Village, Putatan, Muntinlupa.
Saiyari was on-duty when he was nabbed by the PNP-Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies and Southern Police District-District Intelligence Division.
Banac said Saiyari was arrested through a warrant of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 162.
He said Saiyari was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of 21 tourists in Sipadan, Malaysia in 2000.
“In April 2000, members of Abu Sayyaf terrorist group seized 21 tourists from the dive resort island off Sipadan, Malaysia and brought them to Sulu where they were held hostage. Aldemar Saiyari is one of these suspects identified as involved in the kidnapping and hostage taking,” Banac said.
Citing a police report, Banac said Saiyari has been working as a private security guard at the mall using a fake identification card.
Blue Panthers, the private security agency where Saiyari was working, was also found to be illegally operating.
Blue Panthers continued their operations despite having an expired license to operate since 2014, the PNP spokesman said.
The security agency had been ordered by the PNP-Civil Security Group to cease operations in 2016 for its failure to renew expired license. (Martin Sadongdong)
