ZAMBOANGA CITY – A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) involved in several kidnap-for-ransom activities surrendered to the military in Tawi-Tawi, the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) said.
AFP-WestMinCom commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr. identified Friday the former ASG gunman as Barri Lakibol, who uses the aliases “Barley Badeng”, “Otoh Itom”, and “Robin”, 44, a resident of Barangay Silubog, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
Lakibol laid down his arms at the headquarters of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 12 in Barangay Nalil, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday afternoon.
“Based on our records, Lakibol was involved in the kidnapping of 21 hostages including European nationals and other foreigners at Sipadan Island in April 2000,” Vinluan said.
He was also involved in the abduction of a certain Father Almeda, Vinluan added.
Lakibol personality handed over his M14 U.S. rifle with one magazine and two live ammunition to Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-12) commanding officer Lt. Col. Henry Espinosa.
“He admitted being member of the ASG who was recruited by Sulu-based senior leader Galib Andang, alias Commander Robot sometime in January 2000,” Espinosa said.
During the debriefing, Lakibol revealed that he left the group in 2006 due to the intensified offensives launched by the military which resulted in the neutralization of most prominent ASG personalities in Sulu.
“The military will turn over Lakibol to the local government unit of Bongao for his enrolment to the reintegration programs of the government,” Joint Task Force (JTF) Tawi-Tawi commander Col. Arturo Rojas said. (Nonoy E. Lacson)
