NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office Chief Guillermo Eleazar said Tuesday, February 12, the public has nothing to worry about the possible presence of Abu Sayyaf members in the metro amid the arrest of several of them in Manila.

"Hindi naman (dapat maalarma) kasi ang Abu Sayyaf kasi meron silang active at inactive at merong sympathizers and supporters, sa naaresto natin right now dine-determine natin kung siya ba ay active member dahil ang basis ng arrest natin sa kanya is ‘yung warrant of arrest niya for the case that happened a long time ago,” he said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

Eleazar was referring to the arrest of Abdurahman Mataud Daiyung on Sunday morning, February 10, in Ermita, Manila.

Daiyung has a standing arrest warrant for kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection to his active participation in the 2001 kidnapping of 15 employees of Golden Harvest Plantation in Barangay Tairan, Lantawan, Basilan, by the Abu Sayyaf Group led by the late Isnilon Hapilon.

Eleazar said the arrested suspect is also involved in the 2002 Kidapawan bus terminal bombing that killed seven persons and wounded 24 others.

Eleazar said Daiyung’s arrest stemmed from the information provided to police by his another cohort in the kidnapping of the plantation employees identified as Sudais Asmad.

Asmad, 25, was arrested in Binondo, Manila on December 20.

Eleazar said Asmad and Daiyung were both positively identified by their victims as among those who held them.

He said they are yet to obtain information that the two were involved in any plan to stage an attack in the metro.

The Metro Manila top cop also said they have no information as to how many Abu Sayyaf members were in the metro but he ensured that the police are gathering information 24/7 to foil such attack plan. (SunStar Philippines)