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Friday, December 29, 2006
Experts to do DNA test on Janjalani's cadaver
MANILA -- Local and foreign experts will conduct an intensive DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) testing on a cadaver allegedly belonging to Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani, which was recovered by Marine soldiers on Wednesday.
Khaddafy Janjalani is on a US list of wanted terrorists with a US$5 million (euro3.8 million) bounty on his head for a series of alleged beheadings, bombings and mass abductions.
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Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the Philippine National Police (PNP) and a group of American experts who are in the south are leading the tests.
He said PNP Crime Laboratory Services personnel are taking samples of the exhumed cadaver to establish if indeed the body belongs to the infamous Abu Sayyaf leader who is accused of masterminding a number of kidnappings and bombings in Mindanao.
Wanted by US Janjalani is one of the five Abu Sayyaf leaders wanted by the United States government for the kidnapping of its three citizens from the posh Dos Palmas Resort in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan in 2001.
Washington even earmarked $5 million for the neutralization of the five terrorist leaders and has even offered technical assistance in the form of collection of intelligence information to hasten the capture or killing of the five.
"Right now, we have some PNP personnel who will collect samples and bring them to the PNP Crime Lab," said Esperon, detailing authorities' efforts to determine if the cadaver indeed belongs to Janjalani.
Esperon said American troops who are in the South helping the military neutralize Janjalani and his two Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) cohorts -- Dulmatin and Omar Patek -- are exerting their own efforts to determine if the exhumed cadaver was Janjalani's.
"Our counterparts, the American forces that are there have also taken a sample so that they could make their own DNA test so until such time that these tests are completed, we could not be sure who that cadaver is," added Esperon.
Troops from the 3rd Marine Brigade under Brigadier General Juancho Sabban recovered the skeletal remains in Barangay Kabuntakas, Patikul on Wednesday morning through the information provided by Abu Sayyaf surrenderees.
Marine spokesman Ariel Caculitan said the surrenderees told them that Janjalani perished following a clash with Marine soldiers last Sept. 4.
Six Marine soldiers were killed and 19 others were wounded during the encounter.
Military officials claimed many Abu Sayyaf members died in the clash although not a single enemy body has been recovered on site.
Several days later, authorities said Janjalani and one of his JI cohorts, Omar Patek, were wounded.
"We recovered the remains based on the information from the surrenderees. But we would like to exercise caution, there is still no confirmation if the body indeed belongs to Janjalani. While there is a big possibility that they belong to him, there is still the element of mistake," said Caculitan.
Gracia Burnham, an American missionary who was taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf men with her husband Martin for a year in 2001, suggested that Janjalani would have a lot to answer for when he faces God. She was wounded but was rescued while her husband was killed during an army commando rescue.
"It seems that now Janjalani as well as my husband Martin is dead. Both men will stand before almighty God to be judged and that makes me very sad for Janjalani," ABS-CBN television quoted her as saying. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (December 29, 2006 issue)
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