Four suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf were killed while another one was arrested after they allegedly resisted lawmen who tried to serve arrest warrants for multiple crimes in Basilan.
In a report submitted to Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police, on Friday, multiple police units were about to serve arrest warrants on Thursday against Baradi Ganie, Remie Ganie, Dawam Morales and Mando Morales for murder, kidnapping and carnapping in Barangay Balobo in Lamitan City when a firefight ensued.
The four were reported to be working under the command of Abu Sayaff subleader Radzmil Jannatul—who replaced Furuji Indama, the last Basilan-based senior Abu Sayaff leader who was killed by security forces in October 2020.
Killed in the gunfight were Baradi and Remie Ganie, Mando Morales and a certain Jack Akalul, who was not a subject of the warrant. Meanwhile, Dawam Morales was captured alive.
Authorities recovered a KG9 9mm submachine gun, a .45-caliber pistol, a shotgun, a .30-caliber rifle, and numerous fired cartridges of different calibers at the encounter site.
Eleazar lauded the police units involved in the operation but reminded them to remain on alert for possible retaliatory attacks by the local terrorist group.
In Zamboanga City, Zamboanga regional police director, Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, also reported that lawmen arrested two men who are believed to be the weapons suppliers of the Abu Sayyaf.
Ylagan identified the suspects as Asidol Susukan Ahalul and Julhari Sahara, alias “Brando,” who were arrested in another police raid on Thursday evening on their rented house in Barangay Sta. Barbara in Zamboanga City.
He said the search yielded five M4 carbine rifles and millions of pesos’ worth of smuggled cigarettes.
Last weekend, law enforcers in Metro Manila also arrested two suspected Abu Sayyaf members in Taguig City.
Police Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., chief of Metro Manila police, said suspects Taupik Galbun and Saik Galbun were arrested in Barangay Upper Bicutan on July 10.
Taupik has a standing arrest warrant for six counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention and kidnapping and serious illegal detention, all issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court in November 2009.