Residents say ‘Abu Sayyaf leader’ arrested in Basilan is a military asset

By: Julie S. Alipala - 10 years ago

Imran Daiyong Mijal, a suspected Abu Sayyaf leader arrested in Basilan on January 6, sustained gunshot wounds after resisting arrest. 4TH SPECIAL FORCES BATTALION

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines–A man, known to be a military asset by his fellow villagers in a Basilan town, was arrested for allegedly being a notorious Abu Sayyaf leader.

Colonel Eliglen Villaflor, commander of the 4th Special Forces Battalion, said soldiers under his unit–in coordination with the 64th Infantry Battalion–collared “notorious Abu Sayyaf Group leader identified as Imran Daiyong Mijal, who is also known as “Boh.”

Villaflor said Mijal was apprehended on Tuesday afternoon during a court warrant-backed military operation in Barangay (village) Marang-marang in Sumisip town.

He said the suspect resisted arrest and ended up being wounded on the right arm after shooting it out with soldiers.

“He violently resisted arrest by firing his high-powered firearms toward the law enforcement group. Government troops retaliated with deliberate fires to execute the arrest,” Villaflor said.

He said seized from Mijal’s possession was an M16 A1 rifle, a magazine and 48 rounds of ammunition; a rifle grenade, a .45 caliber pistol with four magazines and 23 rounds of ammunition.

“The suspect is wanted for numerous crimes and has a warrant of arrest under criminal case no. 6265-2073 for frustrated murder,” Villaflor said.

Villaflor called Mijal a notorious Abu Sayyaf leader, having participated “in numerous terroristic activities such as bombing, liquidation, kidnapping, ambush and extortion.”

But Sadapal Arsad, a Sumisip village official, said Mijal was known as a military asset among the people of the town.

“The Mijals in Sumisip are not members of the Abu Sayyaf Group,” Arsad said by phone.

He said they had always known that the arrested suspect was active in military operation against the bandit group since 2000, following the kidnapping of one of his siblings.

“He served as an asset and guide in the manhunt for the Abu Sayyaf. I couldn’t understand why he would be accused of being an Abu Sayyaf leader now,” Arsad said.

Mahmoud Kirorot, also a Sumisip resident, said Mijal led civilian volunteers in April 2000 in hunting down Abu Sayyaf bandits involved in the mass hostage-taking in Barangay Tumahubong, also in Sumisip.

He was known not for being an Abu Sayyaf member but for helping the military hunt down the Abu Sayyaf, Muhid Asnain Asilun, a friend of Mijal’s, said.