The top aide of a leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was arrested by authorities upon his arrival on Thursday after being set free by Malaysian authorities. Police served the warrant of arrest against the 30-year old Hajar Binadbul Mubin, who also uses the aliases Abu Asrie, Mheiradz, Muadz, Muhadz, upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3 in Pasay City around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday. The warrant of arrest was issued by Judge Peter Eisma of Zamboanga City Regional Trial Court-Branch 15 for two kidnapping cases in 2012. The court recommended no bail for his temporary release. Mubin, who hailed from Bubuan Island, Basilan province, was the right-hand man of Furuji Indama, the last Basilan-based senior ASG leader who was killed by government forces in September 2020. Indama’s successor, Radzmil Jannatul, alias Khubayb, was also killed in a shootout with the military in March this year. Mubin left the group in 2015 and went to Malaysia to evade arrest. —Dexter Cabalza