Abu Sayyaf suspect nabbed, but group cites mistaken identity

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A suspected Abu Sayyaf member, who was the subject of at least three warrants for kidnapping and other charges, was arrested in Isabela City in Basilan around 9:40 a.m. on Saturday, the police said.

Chief Superintendent Mario Avenido, police director in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Ustadz Abdul Jandul alias Abdul Baliyung, who has a bounty of P300,000 for his capture, was arrested on the basis of warrants issued by Judge Danilo Bucoy of a Basilan regional trial court.

Nixon Alonzo, executive director of the Basilan Human Rights Action Network, said authorities had arrested the wrong suspect.

He said the police arrested Ainbasa Jandul, 41, a barangay official of Carbon, Isabela City.

Alonzo said the Jandul the police got was an Arabic teacher and a member of the Basilan Ulama Supreme Council.

“It’s another case of mistaken identity again,” he said.

Alonzo said they had been trying to track down where Jandul was brought but the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) would not give any information.

Avenido said based on the report reaching him, Jandul was being kept at the CIDG Western Mindanao headquarters here. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao