Two ASG sub-leaders nabbed in Zamboanga del Sur

By Ronron
January 4, 2008

Two alleged sub-leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were nabbed last Thursday by military troops in Zamboanga del Sur province, the local military commander said Friday.

Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, commander of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM), told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo that the first to fall, identified as Tuatin Anahalun, actually has a P2 million bounty on his head for his alleged participation in the Dos Palmas kidnapping incident in Palawan in May 2001, and the Lamitan siege in Basilan a month later.

Allaga said Anahalun, who uses the alias Abu Basilan, was caught in a raid at around 3:30 pm in Margosatubig town. Recovered from him was a caliber 45.

And then, based on initial questioning on him, another ASG sub-leader was traced by military troops in the same town and nabbed later in the day.

Allaga refused to identify the second apprehended person, saying he is vital in leading troops to other terrorists in the region.

But he was described as a personnel of ASG leader Hamsiraji Sali who was involved in the attack in Ipil town in 1995, in the Lamitan siege, and in the Tumahubong kidnapping incident also in Basilan in March 2000.

Alllaga reported that for the entire 2007, the WESMINCOM was able to neutralize, arrest, apprehend or surrender 100 ASG elements, and several others from its allied groups.

He said eight rouge members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) suffered the same fate, 39 from the Misuary Breakaway Group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and one from the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Some 97 communist rebels were also neutralized by the command.

“We are actually gaining ground if we base it in last year’s accomplishment for the Wesmincom area,” Allaga said.

“What does the data show is that we are well on the road to accomplishing the marching orders of the President to make these enemies of the state insignificant by 2010,” he added.

Before the yearend, Allaga said the estimated strength of the ASG in Jolo, Sulu was at 400; 50 in Basilan; and 50 in the Zamboanga peninsula.

The JI is also estimated to be no less than 10, he said.

To achieve their goal, Allaga said they will “increase their operational tempo” this year.

“We are very optimistic on this,” he said./DMS