BOBBY NALZARO:
Why did he manage to escape when he was closely guarded by the authorities?
Who did it and why? The fatal shooting, shortly after his arrest, of one of the remain- ing three surviving Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members who reached Inabanga, Bohol last April 11 has raised more questions than answers. Police and soldiers in Tan-awan, Tubigon arrested Saad Samad Kiram, 36, of Luuk, Sulu last Thursday morning, after he asked one of the residents for water and food. In today’s column, Bobby Nalzaro wonders why Kiram bore no resemblance to the Abu Saad/Omar shown in photos that the authorities released after the first encounter last April 11.
The arrest and subsequent killing of one of the three remaining Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members that “invaded” Inabanga, Bohol last April 11 has raised more questions than answers. What was the real identify of that person and why was he killed immediately after his arrest and under mysterious circumstances?
The authorities claimed that the subject was Saad Samad Kiram, 36, a native of Luuk, Sulu. He was arrested by combined elements of the police and military in Tan-awan, a mountainous barangay in Tubigon, Thursday morning while he was asking for food and water from one of the resident in the place.
Right after the Inabanga encounter last April 11, authorities released the pictures of the ASG members that “landed” in that place. In the gallery, one photo was identified as that of Kaifar Sawadjaan, also known as Abu Saad/Abu Omar. Abu Saad/Omar had a scarf on his forehead and had long hair. He was a “baby-faced” mestizo and was believed to be a scion of a “royal” Muslim family in Basilan.
But the image in the Abu Saad/Omar photo did not match the face of Kiram. While Abu Saad/ Omar was “baby-faced,” Kiram had a “rugged” face. Authorities claimed the one they arrested was really Abu Saad/Omar, only that he looked haggard and tired because he was on the run for three weeks and had nothing to eat. Sus, bisan unsaon nimo og kumparar, pwerte gyud nga layoa sa ilang mga dagway.
Now, the authorities are “singing different tune.” They are now claiming that Abu Saad/Omar has long been dead and that Kiram’s photo was not included in the gallery. Who released the photo? The authorities were the ones that released it.
The “confusion” in the identities of the ASG members could have been avoided had the authorities done their research well and had complete and thorough documentation regarding the Inabanga “invaders” and those who were killed in the encounters. The problem was that they only identified Abu Rami, the sub-commander and Joselito Melloria, the Boholano guide, as the casualties. The rest were buried immediately without the authorities ascertaining their identities. There are two remaining ASG members on the run. Who and where are they?
Yesterday morning, we were surprised to hear the news that Kiram was killed while “trying to escape” from the police yesterday dawn in Bohol. Why did he manage to escape when he was closely guarded by the authorities following his arrest? Did “somebody” up there ordered the killing?
I remember President Duterte, during the opening of the Palarong Pambansa in Antique three weeks ago, saying, “I don’t want those ASG members alive. They should be dead because they are ‘animals.’ Hatagi ko’g asin, di ba kilawon nako na sila.’”
Aw, mao na ni resulta. Old script na man ning nieskapo. Pero para nako, mirisi ra pud.