Suspected ASG member killed in Basilan

By Ronron
November 4, 2007

A suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who has a standing arrest warrant for the crime of kidnapping and other related cases was killed in Basilan province on Saturday afternoon as authorities were trying to arrest him, a military official said Sunday.

Brig. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, commander of the Philippine Army’s Special Forces Regiment, identified the slain suspect as Jamal Taib, who allegedly used to operate under ASG leader Khadaffy Janjalani and sub-leader Abu Sabaya when the two were still alive.

Ortiz said Taib is in the government’s Order of Battle list and has a P150,000 bounty on his head for the crime of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

Taib was first sighted at around 4:10 pm the other day (Saturday) in Maluso town by elements of the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion, prompting the deployment of one team from said battalion to effect his arrest, Ortiz said.

But when the apprehending team was approaching, Taib allegedly resisted arrest and fired instead his caliber 45 to the government forces, said Ortiz.

The members of the apprehending team were forced to fire at Taib, causing his death, said Ortiz.

Recovered from Taib was his caliber 45, loaded with one magazine containing seven live rounds, Ortiz said.

The military has stepped up its operations in Basilan and the neighboring island province of Sulu a few months back following the deadly July 10 incident in Al-Barka town and in Sulu last August between government forces and some the rebel groups in the south.

The ASG has been tagged as a terrorist by the US government. The Philippine military estimates the current ASG strength at more than 300./DMS