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Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Alert on against Abu Sayyaf leader
* Central Mindanao military say one Sayyaf leader escaped arrest during their offensives in Sultan Kudarat
MILITARY detachments in Central Mindanao were placed on high alert level after government troops failed to get one of the leaders of the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) during the four-day offensive operations in the mountains of Bagumbayan town, Sultan Kudarat.
Col. Jerry Jalandoni, chief of the 604th Brigade based in Barangay Kalandagan in Tacurong City, said they failed to apprehend Isnilon Hapilon, an ASG chieftain who carries a P5 million reward on his head, at Barangay Bai Sarapinang in Bagumbayan town where the suspect and his 14 core-group members were sighted.
"Nahirapan kaming kunin ang grupo ni Hapilon dahil masyadong rugged and terrain ng lugar na pinagtataguan nila," Jalandoni said, but quickly added that all the military and police units in Sultan Kudarat are already alerted about the presence of the ASG.
Hapilon's group, reportedly armed with machine guns, was allegedly seen with members of the Abu Sofia group and armed followers of a certain "Kumander Jojo," a known Lost Command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) operating in Central Mindanao.
Jalandoni identified Hapilon based on the intelligence reports and descriptions relayed to him by the Bai Sarapinang residents.
"The descriptions and reports fit to the physical appearance of Hapilon," Jalandoni said.
He however failed to indicate the exact date when the ASG entered the province.
Jalandoni said Hapilon's group did not stay in one place--moving towards Sitio Lusok in Sto. Niño town and then to Upper Sepaka in Surallah, South Cotabato before going to the forested areas of Palimbang town in Sultan Kudarat--due to military ground pressure and bombardments.
The military offensive operations against the Hapilon's group, which ended on Saturday, resulted to the temporary evacuation of more than 100 families of Sitios Mingkel, Tempok and Indigay in Barangay Bai Sarapinang.
The evacuees however have already returned to their respective homes after receiving assistance from the municipal government of Bagumbayan and assurance from the military that the pursuit operation is over.
The Abu Sayyaf was accused of kidnapping scores of foreigners in Southern Philippines in April 2000, as well as foreign and Filipino journalists covering the abductions. (RCB with reports from Ramil Bajo)
(September 21, 2004 issue)
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