The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday said the
ongoing American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tests on the alleged DNA
samples of Malaysian terror bomber Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan will determine
once and for all on whether the terrorist was slain during special operations
conducted by government forces.
In the same encounter, 44 Special Action Force (SAF) members
of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were killed in the issuing battle with
members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao.
"The DNA testing that is currently undertaken will
prove his (Marwan) reported death in Mamasapano on Jan. 25, 2015," said
AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc.
Reports claimed that the SAF men were able to neutralize the
Malaysian terrorist early in the battle.
The AFP earlier reported Marwan was killed during an
airstrike in February 2012.
Cabunoc said the claim was based on the existing intelligence
data during that time.
"However, the Chief-of-Staff AFP (at that time) Gen.
Jessie Dellosa, did not endorse the approval of the cash reward claim for the
informant because there was a validated report that Marwan was able to escape
unharmed," he said.
The FBI is conducting DNA tests to determine if the man
killed by SAF troopers during their covert operation in Mamasapano town,
Maguindanao was indeed Marwan.
"The FBI has received from our Philippine counterparts
a biological sample of an unknown individual for testing," said FBI Supervisory
Special Agent Joshua Campbell.
He said the case is receiving immediate attention at the FBI
laboratory, but did not give specific time frame for when these tests will be
completed.
"Although tests are expected to be conducted promptly,
analysis to determine specific associations to a particular individual
typically require additional time," Campbell
"Once completed, results of the examination will be
provided to our Philippine government partners," he stated.
Reports earlier indicated that the Philippines has sent DNA samples taken by SAF
from what is believed to be the body of Marwan to the United States
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=731552
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