ASG leader, follower killed in Tawi-Tawi

A notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader and his follower were killed during joint law enforcement operations by the military and police in Bongao, TawiTawi on Thursday.

Army Captain Jo-Ann D. Petinglay, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WesMinCom), identified the slain ASG leader as Ninok Sappari and his follower Mahdi Abdurahman.

Petinglay said Sappari was the leader of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Lucky 9 group of Sulu which perpetrated the assassination of numerous military personnel.

The group was also allegedly engaged in kidnapping of local victims in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Petinglay said that, based on reports they received, Abdurahman was killed at about 2 p.m. during a joint military and police operation in Barangay Pahut, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, while Sappari was neutralized at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Nalil, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, during the conduct of pursuit operations.

Petinglay said follow-up operations were immediately conducted after Sappari was able to escape the earlier engagement.

She said an operation was initially conducted at the Almari Beach Resort in Barangay Pahut, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, where the two were said to be staying and eyeing its clients as possible kidnap victims.

Petinglay said a concerned civilian reported the location of the two.

Sappari was initially able to evade apprehending forces and ran to the forested area after noticing the approaching troops and policemen.

“The two were monitored conducting casing and surveillance on their targets for kidnapping activities when government soldiers and policemen engaged them in a firefight,” Petinglay said.

According to bystanders, Sappari, while evading the troops, appeared to be wounded since blood stains were seen along his tracks.

Later that night, he was neutralized in Barangay Nalil by government forces who conducted pursuit operations to get him.