Alleged Abu Sayyaf sub-leader arrested after hiding for 10 years
ZAMBOANGA CITY ? Authorities have arrested an alleged sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf wanted for criminal cases, including the abduction of an ABS-CBN reporter and cameraman, after hiding for 10 years, an official said Thursday.
Asara, who was arrested in a house inside a police camp in Jolo, was reportedly behind the kidnapping of ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon and her cameraman in June 8, 2008 in Maimbung, Sulu.
Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said Ibrahim Asara, 52, was arrested around 12:12 p.m. Thursday in a house inside Camp Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim in Barangay Asturias, Jolo.
Verceles said Asara has warrants of arrest for six counts of murder and 25 counts of frustrated murder with no recommended bail dated February 7, 2012 issued by the court of Jolo.
He said Asara is the sub-leader of Radullan Sahiron, the one-armed and oldest bandit leader based in Sulu.
He said Asara was involved in several atrocities that include the January 2008 kidnapping businesswoman Rosalie Lao in Jolo; kidnapping and beheading of Gabriel Canizares, teacher-in-charge of Kan-Ague Elementary School, on October 19, 2009 in Barangay Tanum, Patikul; kidnapping of a boat captain and crewmen of Mega Fishing on March 11, 2011 in Minis Island, Hadji Panglima Tahil; kidnapping of a restaurant owner, Nelson Lim, on June 22, 2011 in Patikul; and, and July 28, 2011 clash against Marine troops that resulted to the death of 2nd Lt. Michael Balalad in Patikul.
Verceles said that Asara was placed under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Sulu Provincial Field Office and will be turned over to the concerned court in Taguig City, where the cases filed against him were transferred from Jolo. DMS
