CEBU CITY – A man accused of being a member of terrorist group Abu Sayyaf was arrested here on Tuesday afternoon.
Jimmy Igpit Marababol was apprehended on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Anthony T. Isaw of the Regional Trial Court 9 Branch 28 in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte.
Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7), said Marababol is facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges.
Marababol refused to comment on his arrest when he was presented to the media at the PRO 7 Headquarters.
De Leon said Marababol is one of the suspects in the kidnapping of the daughter of Labason Mayor Eddie Quimbo.
A group of armed men abducted the mayor’s daughter in a market in Barangay Antonio, Labason on Sept. 6, 2017.
De Leon said after the kidnapping incident, Marababol fled to Cebu and lived in Mandaue City where he also put up a rice retailing store.
Police Lt. Col. Arturo Braul, chief of the Intelligence Group-Central Visayas, said Marababol was also jailed for illegal possession of firearms but was able to post bail.
Braul said police had been trying to locate Marababol after they received reports that the suspect was hiding in Cebu.
The suspect allegedly used a different name in running his rice retailing business.
The suspect was cornered while transacting for 3,000 sacks of rice on M.J. Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Tinago, Cebu City.
Police are conducting follow-up investigation to identify the suspect’s possible links in Cebu.
De Leon assured that the suspect’s presence in Cebu is not a cause for concern.
“We would like to inform the people in Central Visayas that everything is under control. We are safe in the region,” said De Leon, who added that the arrest was made possible by the support of the community. (Calvin D. Cordova)