Eleazar wants probe of Abu Sayyaf connections with some PNP personnel
Abu Sayyaf’s logistics liaison officer Masckur Adoh Patarasa faces the media during a press conference in Zamboanga City on Sunday. Patarasa was also a non-uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police. PHOTO COURTESY OF PNP-PIO
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said investigations are underway to determine if there are other police personnel who are linked to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Police chief Guillermo Eleazar ordered the probe following the arrest of Masckur Adoh Patarasa, a non-uniformed personnel (NUP) of the PNP who turned out to be a logistics liaison officer of the jihadist group.
READ: Arrested ASG logistics liaison officer is a non-uniformed PNP employee – Eleazar
“Hindi malayo ang posibilidad na may iba pa siyang kasama kaya dito nakatutok ang ating follow-up investigation,” he said in a statement.
(There is a possibility that he still has cohorts here that is why we concentrate on our follow-up investigation.)
“Patuloy ang imbestigasyon kay NUP Patarasa para malaman kung mayroon pang ibang PNP personnel na kasapi ng bandidong Abu Sayyaf Group,” Eleazar added.
(Our investigations into NUP Patarasa are ongoing to find out if other PNP personnel are members of the bandit Abu Sayyaf Group.)
Patarasa, who was arrested in an operation in Sulu on Friday, is an NUP assigned at Banguingui Municipal Police Station in Sulu. He was a member of Abu Sayyaf since 2001.
Eleazar also said that they will also investigate why Patarasa managed to enter the PNP when he is a member of a group that has multiple charges.
Patarasa, who was also a brother-in-law of the late ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon, is the subject of arrest warrants for seven cases of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
Eleazar also said he ordered the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service to fast track the dismissal of Patarasa, while underscoring the importance of a rigid recruitment process to the police force.
“Isa ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit sinasala nating mabuti ngayon ang mga pumapasok sa PNP, mapa-pulis o civilian employee,” he said.
(This is one of the reasons why we are very stringent concerning those applying here in the PNP, whether they are police or civilian employees.)
