Authorities foil kidnapping, arrest 4 Abu Sayyaf brigands in Zambo City

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 23): Authorities foil kidnapping, arrest 4 Abu Sayyaf brigands in Zambo City

The government authorities have foiled a kidnapping attempt and arrested four suspected Abu Sayyaf brigands including a financier in separate raids in this city, military and police officials announced Monday.

Those arrested in two separate raids were identified as Sattar Abdulla alias Abu Sattar, Jerry Intimani alias Jumong, Sammara Akbaw, and Gaber Masturan.

Army’s 1st Infantry Division acting commander Col. Aminkadra Undug said that Abdullah, the alleged financier, was arrested by combined military and police forces in a raid around 2:20 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Tumalutab, this city.

Tumalutab is one of this city’s eight island barangays and is located 40 kilometers east of this city.

Undug said that Abdullah is facing six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges before a Court in Pasay City and corresponding warrant was issued for his arrest.

Zamboanga City police officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Angelito Casimiro said the other three suspects -- Intimani, Akbaw, and Masturan -- were arrested in a raid Sunday evening in two safehouses at Sitio Caragasan, Barangay Maasin, 13 kilometers west of this city.

Casimiro said that Intimani and Akbaw, both natives of Patikul, Sulu are the team leader and spotter, respectively, while Masturan is the speedboat operator.

Casimiro said the combined police and military raiding team led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) has confiscated from the suspects two caliber .45 pistols with ammunition, a fragmentation grenade and a three-engine speedboat locally known as “jungkung.”

He said the arresting team also recovered a sketch plant from the suspects’ possession indicating their targets for kidnapping.

He said one of the suspects’ targets to be kidnapped is the 12-year-old son of the owner of a shipyard known as “Tong Baradero” in Barangay Recodo and a certain Mr. Saavedra, who owns a chain of pharmacies in this city.

Casimiro announced during Monday’s weekly press conference of Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar that the CIDU is readying charges to be filed against the suspects.

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