Dulmatin not in Tawi-Tawi clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Asia’s most wanted bomber and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member Dulmatin was not among the Abu Sayyaf militants the Marines and Navy forces encountered in an island off Tawi-Tawi, two days ago, according to a senior military official Saturday.

The military official also clarified Dulmatin was not monitored with the group of Radi Wahab Upao alias Abu Fatima, who was killed along with two followers in Balimbing, Panglima Sugala Thursday dawn.

The confirmation gave credence to the pronouncement of Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon that the two Indonesian bomb experts and their Abu Sayyaf cohorts have split into two groups to elude pursuing government troops.

Esperon said there are indications that Dulmatin is hiding in remote areas of Tawi-Tawi, while Umar Patek is in some parts of Sulu.

Upao, who carried $160,000 reward from the US government and another P2-million from the Philippines, was tagged as among the Abu Sayyaf group that killed Catholic priest Fr. Reynaldo Roda and seized teacher Omar Taup last Jan. 15 in Tabawan, Tawi-Tawi.

“There was no sign that Dulmatin was there with the group,” Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga said.

He said he informed the AFP chief that Dulmatin was not with the Abu Sayyaf group his forces encountered, but were banking on possibilities of the elusive bomber’s presence.

The military said intelligence tracking operation continued to determine the whereabouts of the two JI fanatics, tagged as mastermind in the deadly April 2002 Bali bombing in Indonesia which killed 202 tourists, mostly Australians.  – Roel Pareño, James Mananghaya