Alleged ASG sub-leader implicated in July 2007 beheading of Marine elements arrested in Shariff Kabunsuan

By Ronron
January 21, 2008

A suspected sub-team leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who is implicated in the ambush and beheading of Marine elements last July 2007 in Basilan province was arrested over the weekend in Shariff Kabunsuan province, police said Monday.

Aramil Sulayman, 29, was caught by joint police and military elements around noontime last Saturday driving a pedicab at the poblacion of Datu Odin Sinsuat town, said Sr. Supt. Leonardo Espina, head of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER).

Espina said Sulayman did not resist the arrest effected by elements of PACER-Mindanao, the Philippine Army’s Intelligence and Security Group in the 6th Infantry Division, and the 6th Military Intelligence Battalion.

“The arrest was by virtue of a warrant issued against Sulayman by the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Isabela City, Basilan for nine counts of murder and four counts of frustrated murder,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. told reporters during Sulayman’s presentation yesterday morning to the media in Camp Crame,Quezon City.

Espina said Sulayman confessed to have participated in the ambush and beheading of the Marine elements in Al-Barka, Basilan, who were then in search for abducted Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi.

“As sub-team leader, he gives orders and he also has participation in the beheading,” Espina said of Sulayman.

Razon said the Department of National Defense (DND) has issued last year an order giving P500,000 reward to any body who could provide information that would lead to Sulayman’s arrest.

Espina said a group of informants will receive the bounty.

He disclosed that Sulayman’s name is just one of the 128 in the arrest warrant issued by the Basilan court in relation to the Marines beheading incident.

The official could not be certain, however, how many more will they still account for from the list.

Espina said Sulayman will be flown to Basilan later Monday for his proper disposition based on the court’s recommendation./DMS