Seizure of Sayyaf properties mulled; 3 more die in clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The military might confiscate the housing units and other properties that leaders of the Abu Sayyaf have acquired through the millions of ransom they have amassed from the hostage taking in Sulu province.

Maj. Gen. Narciso Abaya said government lawyers are now looking into the legal process to seize the properties that have been positively pinpointed in Sulu.

Abaya said, at least eight housing units were discovered by the military to have been newly acquired by the Abu Sayyaf leaders in Indanan town.

"We have to teach them a lesson that they will not earn any- thing from their kidnappings," Abaya added.

He said that most of the villagers in Sulu are now helping the police and military authorities to locate all the properties which were acquired by the Abu Sayyaf during the hostage crisis in Sulu.

The Abu Sayyaf had demanded ransom for the release of at least 42 hostages, mostly foreign nationals, including foreign and local journalists covering the hostage drama.

Military intelligence disclosed that the extremists group had amassed more than P300-million in ransom before the government forces launched massive offensive operations and rescued 17 of the 19 remaining captives.

Meanwhile, three more extremists were killed while many others, including four soldiers, were wounded when elite troops from the Army Scout Ranger and police forces stormed 90 fully armed Abu Sayyaf rebels led by Abu Jumdain alias Doctor Abu Wednesday dawn in the jungle of Indanan town, Sulu province.

Doctor Abu, the quack doctor of the Abu Sayyaf bandits who is a trained paramedic and associate of Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot, escaped during the gunbattle.

Doctor Abu was among the 17 prominent Abu Sayyaf leaders that raided last April 23 the Sipadan diving resort and held 21 hostages, mostly Europeans and Malaysian nationals whom they brought to Sulu, with two other resort employees who are Filipinos.

Sulu PNP provincial director Supt. Candido Casimiro said the fierce gunbattle broke out when elements from the 6th, 7th, and 8th Ranger Special companies and Jolo police pounced on the group of Doctor Abu who were holed out at the border of barangays Tanum and Karawan in Indanan town at about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Casimiro said the bandits retaliated but they were overpowered by the government forces who were in a vantage position.

Maj. Gen. Narciso Abaya said fierce fighting raged for two hours, resulting in the death of at least three Abu Sayyaf while many others were wounded but managed to escape along with Doctor Abu.

Abaya said four soldiers were wounded in the encounter and were immediately flown to Camp Navarro General Hospital inside the Southern Command compound. He declined to give the names of the wounded soldiers, saying that their families have to be notified first.