All-Muslim police task force to hunt terrorists

President Arroyo will create a task force of Muslim police to hunt suspected terrorists in Metro Manila and allay fears of persecution in the Muslim community, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the creation of a "Salaam police" task force was one of a string of measures announced by the President in a meeting with Muslim leaders and actor Robin Padilla — a Muslim convert — late Tuesday following complaints that police were targeting the community in the campaign against Islamic extremist terrorists.

"The President explained that these operations were based on solid information," Bunye said in a radio interview, referring to the recent arrest of six Muslims who allegedly planned large-scale bombing attacks in Manila.

To address the Muslim community’s concerns, three senior Muslim police officials led by Bataan regional office director Sahiron Salem will put together the proposed Salaam task force.

"This will be composed also of Muslim policemen and they will be assigned to the (counterterrorism) operations," Bunye said. He admitted it would take time to form the task force.

These police officials "will not be pulled out of their respective assignments," he said. "They will be the screening committee that will form the task force."

In a further bid to improve relations, Mrs. Arroyo appointed presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles to serve as liaison with the Muslim community, Bunye said.

"Should there be any problem and our brother Muslims would like to relay their concerns, they would have somebody to approach and that is Secretary Deles," he said, adding that the Muslim leaders seemed happy with the measures.

The Muslim leaders told the President that they believe that "if there is guilt, then they must be prosecuted. All they are requesting is the humane treatment while they are under detention," Bunye said.

"It is very clear that our laws would be enforced in a just manner and we would continue to protect our communities against threats of terrorism," Bunye said.

The Anti-Terrorism Task Force headed by Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita has been directed by the President to work out the system of coordination to prevent a recurrence of such problems.

Police last week announced the arrest of six suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf and, on Tuesday, former hostages identified four as members of the feared group that has been linked by both Washington and Manila to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

Police said approximately 39 kilos of trinitrotoluene (TNT) were confiscated from suspected Abu Sayyaf cell leader Alhamsar Manatad Limbong, alias Kosovo and suspected bandits Redendo Cain Dellosa, Abdulrasid Banjeng, alias Abu Haifa; and Radzmar Sangkula Jul Hassa, alias Michael Saavedra.

The PNP said the six suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits planned to bomb targets in Metro Manila.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said the United States’ request for Limbong’s extradition would be put on hold since Limbong still must face charges lodged against him here.

Acting Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez said Limbong should be tried here first and, only after trial could the government study the possibility of extraditing him.

The government received the extradition request from the US in a document signed by US legal attaché Jeffrey Cole.

The US government wants Limbong to stand trial for the 2001 kidnapping of Americans Guillermo Sobero and Martin and Gracia Burnham from the Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan province and for the subsequent killing of Sobero and Martin Burnham.

Sobero had been beheaded, while Burnham was shot dead by fleeing Abu Sayyaf bandits during a rescue operation by the military in June 2002.

Limbong is facing charges of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking resulting in the Dos Palmas abductions and the murder of the two Americans.

The President herself said Limbong was suspected of being Sobero’s "executioner." He was also identified as the leader of the bombing in Zamboanga City’s Malagutay district that killed an American soldier in October 2002 during the joint RP-US Balikatan exercises.

Limbong is also said to be a second cousin of Abu Sayyaf leader Khaddafi Janjalani.

He was indicted along with Janjalani, and other Abu Sayyaf members Isnilon Totoni Hapilon, Aldam Tilao, Jainal Antel Sali Jr., Hamsiraji Marusi Sali, Wahar Opao, Bakkal Totoni Hapilon and Abdul Azzam Ngaya.

"It would still be up to the court as to whether the Philippine government could allow (Limbong) to face trial in the US. We cannot just surrender him, it has to go through a court process," Gutierrez said.

Former Abu Sayyaf hostages positively identified Limbong as one of the bandits who abducted them, contrary to claims that they were merely fall guys.

The National Bureau of Immigration (NBI) said agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will come to Manila to check if the suspects arrested along with Limbong were among those indicted earlier in the US of involvement in the Palawan resort kidnappings.

Bunye said the Philippines has prior claim to Limbong. "We recognize America as our ally in the fight against terrorism but, at this point, perhaps they would have to wait because we have first claims over these suspects.

"Their offenses were committed within our jurisdiction so they must answer to our laws," he added.

Even as the government is not inclined to turn Limbong over to US authorities at this time, Bunye said this does not mean American authorities would be prevented from interrogating him.

"As far as intelligence information that we get from (the suspects)" is concerned, Bunye said, "this would be made available to the intelligence community of our ally."

"That is the best we can do at this time," he added.

Non-bailable charges of multiple murder and kidnapping for ransom were filed against the suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits, who are now detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The Muslim community in Metro Manila had complained about the arrests of Muslims in recent weeks, charging that the police are picking up innocent Muslims and pressuring them into confessing they have links with Islamic extremists.

The Abu Sayyaf is known for kidnapping and bombing attacks targeting foreigners and Christians. — With Christina Mendez, Aurea Calica, AFP