Troops arrest Abu Sayyaf ‘spotter’

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 17): Troops arrest Abu Sayyaf ‘spotter’

Joint police and military operatives have arrested an alleged “spotter” of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) involved in the Sipadan kidnapping 12 years ago, an official announced Tuesday.

Chief Insp. Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, identified the arrested suspect as Mansul Radalan alias Bentong, 37, of Barangay Baliwasan, this city.

Galvez said that Radalan was arrested in a law enforcement operation by way of serving search warrant at around 4:25 a.m. Monday in Mangal Drive, Baliwasan.

Galvez said that recovered from the suspect’s residence were bomb-making materials, such as ammonium nitrate, a commercial blasting cap, 900 grams of two-inch concrete nails, and a rifle grenade.

She said that Radalan was involved in the kidnapping of 21 people in April 2000 in Sipadan diving resort in Sabah. The victims consisted of 10 Europeans and 11 Asians--nine Malaysians and two Filipinos.

The ASG herded the victims in the hinterlands of Sulu, where they were released in batches following payment of huge ransom.

Galvez said that Radalan was also involved in the botched kidnapping of Dr. Armando Iturralde in October 2015 in Barangay Talon-Talon, this city.

Iturralde is the brother of Zamboanga City Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde.

Galvez said Radalan, the ASG spotter, was casing a Korean businessman who is a probable kidnapping target.

She said that Radalan as a spotter is the one scouting for possible kidnap victim.

She said that Radalan was detained while appropriate charges are set to be filed against him.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/1012994