BY NONOY E LACSON * MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
A sub-leader and a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were killed in encounters with government troops in Sulu, while two others were arrested in Basilan early Friday.
Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr. said the first encounter took place at 5:45 a.m. at Bud Bawis Complex, Barangay Kawasan in Panamao, Sulu. This resulted in the killing of ASG sub-leader Hatib Munap Binda and the recovery of one M16 rifle and one M14 rifle.
The firefight lasted for 30 minutes after which the enemy withdrew to the inner forested area of the complex.
Vinluan said that based on their records, Binda was the senior leader of the ASG operating in the municipalities of Kalingalan Caluang and Panamao, Sulu.
An hour after, soldiers engaged a group of ASG fighters in a 20-minute clash a few meters away from the first encounter site, which led to the death of a certain Bensio Barahama and recovery of one M14 rifle.
Barahama was involved in numerous kidnap-for-ransom activities victimizing foreign nationals, including Swiss national Lorenzo Vinciguerra; and Maharudin Bin Lunani and Muhammad Farhan, both Indonesians, the military said.
BASILAN OPS
Meanwhile, two alleged ASG members were arrested on the same day by the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force in separate counter-terrorism operations in Basilan.
PNP chief Police Gen. Debold Sinas identified the suspects as Ranger Siason, of Purok 1, Barangay Aguada, Isabela City, Basilan; and Munjiral Kabole, of Barangay Saluping, Tabuan-Lasa, Basilan.
Police Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, acting director of the PNP-SAF, said a team of SAF troopers along with local intelligence and police units collared Siason after a cache of explosives was found in his house when they issued a search warrant against him during the wee hours.
The search warrant was issued by Judge Leo Jay Principe, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 of Isabela City.
According to police, Siason is an ASG associate in Basilan who is responsible for the procurement and transportation of explosives and ammunition of the group.
He is also being sought for his alleged involvement in the massacre of nine people and burning of several houses during an ASG attack in Barangay Tubigan, Maluso, Basilan on Aug. 1, 2017.
Found inside Siason’s house were two fragmentation grenades, two 40-mm high explosive shells, 30 rounds of 5.56-mm rifle ammunition, four kilos of ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO) explosives, six caliber .50 shells, and a Daesh flag.
Kabole was served with a warrant of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention by SAF troopers, PNP-Intelligence Group, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Marines, and Basilan provincial police inside his house around 4:45 a.m.
The arrest warrant was issued by Judge Danilo Bucoy of the RTC Branch 2 of Isabela City.
Police said that Kabole is a principal suspect in the kidnapping of one Hja Sadday Jalal in Sumisip, Basilan in 2009.
Kabole, whom police said is under the command of ASG sub-leader Pasil Bayali, is also accused of being involved in a series of attacks against police and military forces in Basilan.
