PNP confirms death of bomb expert Usman

The Philippine National Police on Friday confirmed that it was indeed Abdul Basit Usman, most wanted Filipino terrorist, who was killed in a firefight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) early this month.

In a statement, the PNP said the Crime Laboratory confirmed the relationship between the DNA profile of the skin tissue taken from the body of Usman with that of his mother and nephew.

“These conclusive test results, as corroborated by witnesses’ statements, affirmed earlier pronouncements that Usman and some of his followers were killed in an encounter with the MILF 106th Brigade on May 3, in Sitio Balas, Barangay Upper Muti, Guindulungan, Maguindanao,” said PNP officer in charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina.

Usman has been identified as a bomb-making expert with links to the Abu Sayyaf Group and Jemaah Islamiyah.

It will be recalled that the Crime Laboratory collected saliva samples from Usman’s mother Singkorya Dagkog Usman and his nephew Hairudin Balt Usman for DNA profiling.

“The probability of Singkorya’s maternal relationship with Basit Usman is 99.9 percent, while Basit is paternally related to Hairudin Balt Usman,” said Crime Laboratory head Chief Supt. Theresa Ann Cid.

The tissue sample from Usman was submitted to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group by a member of the MILF 106th Brigade in Camp Crame on May 8.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Director Benjamin Magalong said the MILF member also submitted a sheet of plain bond paper with Usman’s alleged fingerprints and bloodstains.

The PNP also had the sworn statements of two barangay officials in Guindulungan, Maguindanao, who positively identified the slain man as Usman.