Gov’t probes ISIS training in Zambo ZAMBOANGA

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Security forces are verifying reports of alleged training of recruits for the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in a remote village of this city.

Village officials and residents of Sitio Calabasa in Curuan district yesterday said they have heard of the training but checking the site would be too risky.

The reports said most of those recruited for the ISIS training were orphans of Abu Sayyaf extremists from Basilan and Sulu.

Police chief Sr. Supt. Angelito Casimiro, however, denied the alleged recruitment and training of ISIS members.

Casimiro confirmed the area was previously raided by the police Special Action Force (SAF) troops who rescued a Chinese national held captive by the Abu Sayyaf. He said the policemen also arrested a suspected bandit identified as Arab-Arab.

Casimiro said Arab-Arab had claimed the group had abandoned the area and engaged in other criminal activities.

“The group is not potent as before,” Casimiro said.

Police Supt. Ariel Huesca, commander of Public Safety Company, said they were verifying the possible presence of the group.

“So far there has been none of their presence. But we are not stopping in tracking them down,” Huesca said.

The reports came amid the discovery of an alleged training camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the hinterlands of Iligan City.

The MILF denied it was a training camp and said the site is being run as a facility for its supporters and sympathizers under orientation of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The proposed BBL would create a Bangsamoro region to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The deliberations on the draft deal, however, stalled in Congress amid allegations that the MILF, along with its breakaway group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), was involved in the killing of 44 policemen in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

The military has filed a complaint before the government ceasefire committee, pointing out the supposed MILF training camp was in violation of the peace agreement with the government. – Jaime Laude, John Unson, Ricky Bautista