Drilon kidnap suspect nabbed

MANILA, Philippines – A suspected Abu Sayyaf member believed to have been involved in the kidnapping in June of ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Drilon and her camera crew has been arrested, the military said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief, identified the captured bandit as Marcial Jabarot, 30, of Barangay Darayan, Patikul, Sulu.

Jabarot was said to be on a mission to assassinate soldiers in Patikul after three of his comrades were killed in a botched kidnapping attempt Friday, Torres said.

The military said the captured suspect was a member of the bandit group since 2000, and was working under ASG sub-leader Tahil Sali and Jul Asbi Jalmaani.

He was arrested by members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 while casing Sincere Trading in the said village.

Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, navy spokesman, said Jabarot had been roaming around downtown Jolo after the foiled kidnap try in a bid to elude pursuing marines.

“The owner of Sincere Grocery is one of their targets,” Torres said.

Arevalo said that despite sporting longer hair and beard, Jabarot, who was seen at around 9 p.m. at the vicinity of the said store, was still recognized by the troops after checking file photos.

“A squad of marines in uniform was immediately marshaled and proceeded to Sincere Grocery at 11:10 p.m. He did not resist arrest,” he said.

A month after Drilon and her colleagues were abducted, marines arrested Abu Sayyaf members Nadzmir Amirul and a 14-year-old boy who were also implicated in a kidnapping in Barangay Buhanginan.

The arrest of the two came after intelligence operatives positively identified the 14-year-old from footage taken by cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion while in captivity.

Jabarot’s involvement in the Drilon kidnapping was established during the interrogation, according to the military.

The military is still pursuing 11 other suspects in the kidnapping of Drilon, cameramen Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama, but the name of Jabarot was not included in the list earlier released by the PNP.

The PNP named Indanan, Sulu Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Haider, Sulayman Pattah alias Abu Harris, Walid alias Tuan Wals, and others who were identified through their aliases as Seding, Amrin, Adzker, Bas, Bakrin, Rihim, James and Tawing as suspect in the kidnapping.

Three other suspects remained unidentified.

Of the suspects, only the Isnajis, Munhamer Sattari alias “Brain Damage” and another unnamed suspect are in police custody.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will coordinate with Drilon and her team to help identify the arrested kidnapper.

But Drilon told The STAR that “based on the picture sent to her, she didn’t see Jabarot during their captivity.”

She vowed, however, in earlier interviews that she could identify all their captors.

The bandits are still holding captive Esperanza Hupida and Milet Mendoza, members of the Nagdilaab Foundation, a non-government organization involved in rural development projects such as providing loans for livelihood projects, who were abducted last Sept. 15 in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.

Police said they are ready to conduct a rescue mission for the abducted peace volunteers once the crisis committee gives its go signal.

Troopers wounded in clash

Meanwhile, eight soldiers, including an officer, were wounded in intense fighting with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao Sunday, the military said.

Troops backed by two armored vehicles clashed with about 60 MILF, causing heavy casualties on the rebel side, according to Torres, citing initial reports from the field.

The MILF has been engaged in heavy fighting with troops since early August, after the Supreme Court stopped the signing of a deal with government that would have given the MILF control over an expanded autonomous region.

MILF rebels then raided dozens of villages and towns in Mindanao, leaving more than 60 civilians and soldiers dead.

The government suspended talks with the group and sent more troops to the south.

The government last week said it remained open to returning to the negotiating table with the 12,000-strong MILF, while reiterating that the rebels must lay down their arms and surrender the guerrilla leaders behind the attacks. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Roel Pareño