THE police have arrested a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on mission to scout for possible victims to be kidnapped in Zamboanga City, an official said Saturday.
Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, identified the arrested suspect as Aizar Latip, a spotter of the ASG.
Beltran said Latip, who carries the aliases of Christopher Palomar, Abu Utchung, and Abu Husni, was arrested around 6 a.m. Friday, May 11, near a restaurant along R.T. Lim Boulevard in San Jose-Cawa-Cawa village, this city.
The police official said Latip was on a mission to “to monitor all possible targets for kidnapping in Zamboanga City.”
Beltran said Latip is a follower of Basilan-based ASG sub-leader known as “Commander Abogao.”
He said Latip has standing warrant of arrest for six-count kidnapping and serious illegal detention with no recommended bail issued by the court in Isabela City, Basilan.
The warrant of arrest stemmed from his involvement in the kidnapping of 15 workers at the Golden Harvest Plantation on June 11, 2001 in Tairan village, Lantawan in the same province.
Beltran said Latip was also involved in two other kidnapping cases the past years.
These are the kidnappings of Italian priest, Fr. Gian Carlo Bossi, on June 10, 2007 in Bulawan village, Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay and that of businessman Larry Tam Delos Santos on December 16, 2010 in Farmland Resort in Lanote village, Isabela City.
Beltran said the suspect was also involved in the July 10, 2007 ambush that resulted to the death of 14 marine troops and injured nine others in the village of Guinanta, Al-Barka, Basilan.
Of the 14 slain soldiers, 10 were beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf bandits. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)