Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa, PNP chief, and Dir. Oscar Albayalde (right), chief of the NCRPO, presented on Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, suspected Abu Sayyaf members Abu Bakar Jikiri, 19; Alim Sabtalin, 19; and Sadam Jhofar, 24, in a briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City. (Photo by JEANNETTE ANDRADE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Malacañang lauded law enforcers on Saturday for arresting three suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), thus foiling an attempt to disrupt the recently-concluded 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits in Manila.
“The arrest of Abu Bakar Jikiri, Alim Sabtalin, and Sadam Jhofar is a result of good intelligence fusion by our police and other security forces, who remain proactive in monitoring and dealing with lawless elements,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
“We therefore call on our men to continue their good job of enhancing our readiness and increasing our security posture against the threat of terrorism by remaining vigilant in our respective areas with the full cooperation of the public,” he added.
Roque issued the statement a day after suspected ASG members were presented by authorities to media.
The susepcts were arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Quezon City Police District and the Counter-Terrorism Division of the National Bureau of Investigation on Nov. 10 in Salam Compound, Barangay Culiat, Quezon City.
Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the three were caught a day before state leaders started to arrive in the country for Asean Summit.
Dela Rosa said the social media accounts of the suspect also bore evidence that they had conducted surveillance of malls, public parks, and the Philippine International Convention Center, the main venue of the summit. /atm