ZAMBOANGA CITY — Radulan Sahiron, a notorious leader of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, had sent surrender feelers apparently realizing his age is catching up with him, according to the military.
Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., head of the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said Sahiron had tapped some elders in Sulu to relay his willingness to surrender.
Galvez’s claim, however, could not be independently confirmed.
But he said continuing military offensives against the Abu Sayyaf, a bandit group with links to the terror network al-Qaida, “is taking its toll particularly on Sahiron.” The one-armed Abu Sayyaf leader is believed to be in his 70s now.
Galvez said military operations against the Abu Sayyaf had been relentless in all the group’s known hideouts in the Sulu towns of Talipao, Patikul and Maimbung.
The Wesmincom chief said 11 members of the Abu Sayyaf from Tawi-Tawi had surrendered and it is not farfetched for the group’s top leaders to follow suit.
“They now feel the heat of the operation, and they also feel the sincerity of the President (Duterte) to accept their surrender,” Galvez said.
“Sahiron is contemplating on surrendering because he is already old,” he added.
But Galvez said Sahiron wanted one condition for his surrender—that he not be turned over to the US government or other countries that want to try him for a spate of kidnappings involving their nationals.
“He wants the Philippine government to handle his case,” Galvez said.
Octavio Dinampo, former kidnap victim and professor of Mindanao State University in Sulu, said Sahiron is also suffering from diabetes.
Dinampo said Sahiron has at least 70 followers who are also his relatives.
Based on information from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website, Sahiron’s capture or killing is covered by the US government’s rewards for justice program.
The US Department of State is offering up to $1 million for Sahiron’s capture.
The FBI had put Sahiron on its most wanted list of terrorists for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an American seized in Sulu and held captive for 23 days in 1993. The victim’s name was not immediately available. —JULIE S. ALIPALA