Police capture Sayyaf fighter, seized explosives in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police have captured an Abu Sayyaf militant and seized improvised explosives from his hideout in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said Sahibul Sailani, who also goes by the name of Abdurasad Ben Jabarani Adjail, was involved in at least 8 criminal cases, mostly kidnappings in Basilan province that transpired in June 2001.

Policemen recovered the Abu Sayyaf explosives when they searched Sailani’s house in Culianan village recently, according to Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, a regional police spokeswoman.

The 55-year old militant is currently under interrogation by the police to determine if his group is planning a terror attack in Zamboanga which was previously bombed by the Abu Sayyaf whose leaders pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

It was not immediately known how long Sailani had been in Zamboanga, just several nautical miles south of Basilan, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region and a stronghold of the dreaded Abu Sayyaf group. Or if he is also involved in the April 29 abductions of 2 police officers – PO2 Benierose Alvarez and PO1 Dinah Gumahad – and two civilians – Jakosalem Blas and Faisal Ahidji Hajiri – in Sulu’s Patikul town.

The victims were travelling on a motorcycle taxi when gunmen flagged down the vehicle in Liang village and seized them, Galvez said.

Alvarez is assigned with Engineering Service Division under the Regional Logistics Division of the local police force while Gumahad is assigned at the Midsalip municipal police station in Zamboanga del Sur province and was undergoing a 45-day Criminal Investigation Course. “The two police officers were on vacation in the province and had just finished visiting one of the famous beaches in Sulu, the Quezon beach, when the abduction occurred,” Galvez said.

“The Police Regional Office 9 is closely coordinating with the combined forces of Joint Task Force Sulu and Sulu police, the operating units’ tasks to conduct pursuit operation against the armed suspects to safely recover the victims,” she added.