Sayyaf leader surrenders

From the Mindanao Examiner (Mar 28): Sayyaf leader surrenders

A notorious Abu Sayyaf leader, who was reported by Malaysia to have been slain in a clash with security forces in Sabah, turned out to be alive and has surrendered to authorities in the southern Philippine province of Basilan, various sources said on Wednesday.

Nurhassan Jamiri, who is linked to terror attacks and ransom kidnappings in southern Philippines, was taken to the military’s Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City where he would undergo interrogation.

Military officials did not give any statement on Jamiri’s surrender, but Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao, has confirmed the report. “Western Mindanao Command na ang bahala diyan,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

The Eastern Sabah Security Command said Jamiri, who is on top of the Philippines’ most wanted terrorist list, was killed along with 2 other militants at a plantation in Tawau town in Sabah on February 27.

Datuk Hazani Ghazali, chief of the Eastern Sabah Security Command, said the trio had opened fire at pursuing policemen inside the plantation, about a kilometer from the main Kalabakan-Keningau Road, in a four-minute shootout.

Hazani said Jamiri’s group is suspected to be linked to a cross-border terrorist network that might be planning an attack on Sabah. He said they could also be linked to 10 people arrested recently by the Bukit Aman anti-terrorism unit for planning to carry out attacks in the eastern state.

He said Tawau district police chief Assistant Commander Fadil Marcus had also noted that the trio seemed to operate in a tactical manner before they were shot dead. A report March 1by the Malaysian newspaper, The Star, quoting regional intelligence sources, said Jamiri was armed with a high-powered rifle when gunned down by the police in a firefight.

Jamiri, a native of Basilan, one of 5 provinces in the Muslim autonomous region, was also implicated in dozens of ransom kidnappings, including Australian international adventurer Warren Rodwell in 2011 in Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay province.

Many Abu Sayyaf militants had surrendered to the authorities in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in the past 2 years and Hataman said more are expected to yield because of the regional government’s reintegration program for the Abu Sayyaf group.

“Marami na ang mga sumuko at mas marami pa ang gustong lumabas at magbagong buhay dahil sa rehabilitation and reformation program natin basta cleared na sila sa government,” Hataman said. “Basta gawa lang tayo ng magandang mga proyekto at nutasan lang natin ng magandang mga daan ang mga kabundukan ay sigurado ako na susuko rin ang lahat ng mga yan kasi randam na rin nila lahat ang pagbabago na ginawa natin.”

Hataman initiated the Abu Sayyaf reintegration program dubbed “Program Against Violence and Extremism” or PAVE following the surrender of many militants in Basilan. PAVE is designed to provide opportunities to surrendered Abu Sayyaf members for their reintegration in society.

The interventions include psychosocial sessions, medical check-ups, introduction to farming systems, and expository tours outside the island provinces which are all designed to usher the complete reformation of the former combatants into decent and productive members of society.

The returnees will also be provided with farm implements as livelihood support and housing from the Bangsamoro Regional Inclusive Development with Growth and Equity Program.

Hataman said a total of 173 militants have surrendered to the military and local governments in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. He said PAVE has been running in cooperation with local governments, the military and police, Nagdilaab Foundation, and Eisenhower Fellows Association of the Philippines, among others.

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