Suspected Abu Sayyaf now working as guard arrested in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—An alleged Abu Sayyaf member, who took part in the 2001 siege of Lamitan, Basilan and several other kidnappings in that province, was arrested here on Wednesday, authorities reported Thursday.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, city police chief, said Rael Muharibil Jumadil, who was also known as Abu Mursan and Jumadil, had been working here as a security guard.

Jumadil, a resident of Barangay Bagkaan in Tongkil, Sulu, was arrested by combined police operatives as he was performing his duties as security guard for a shipping company at the local port around 8:30 a.m.

Casimiro described Jumadil’s role in the Abu Sayyaf these days as that of being “liaison or courier” while working as a private security guard of the M/V Stephanie Marie of Aleson Shipping Lines, which has been plying the Isabela-Zamboanga City route.

He said the suspect did not resist arrest. Police recovered from his possession a shotgun with defaced serial number, a caliber .38 revolver, ammunition and several identification cards belonging to different individuals.

The suspect is the subject of warrants of arrest for seven cases of kidnapping, issued by Judge Leo Jay Principe of the Regional Trial Court Branch 1.

He said Jumadil was also involved in the 2001 kidnapping of 15 persons from the Golden Harvest Farm in Tairan, Basilan.

This was the second time that an Abu Sayyaf member was arrested while working as a security guard here.

Last May, Abu Sayyaf member Harijin Jinny was reportedly working as a security guard at the Zamboanga City public market when captured by police.