Sayyaf man tagged in 1992 kidnap falls

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police intelligence agents here captured a suspected Abu Sayyaf member tagged in the 1992 abduction of a doctor and his family, in a market in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan, last Monday, authorities said.

The suspect, identified as Ronnie Tulling alias Taming Yakan, however, denied being a member of the dreaded group, claiming it could be a case of mistaken identity, as he alleged that his name is Tony Dellong and that he is a cousin of Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar.

Chief Inspector Alberto Larubis, Isabela City police chief, said his men backed up intelligence agents of the Region 9 police in arresting the suspect.

Larubis said Tulling was immediately brought to Lamitan City where a speedboat transported him to this city where he is now temporarily detained.

He said they are now double-checking if Dellong and Tulling are the same person.

Tulling was tagged as one of those who abducted Dr. Nilo Barandino, his wife Cristina and their eight children and a nephew on Nov. 28, 1992 while on their way to a family-owned farm in Isabela.

They were separately released on Dec. 10 and Dec. 20 that same year, after their family paid ransom.

Following their release, Barandino temporarily abandoned his medical practice and launched a personal crusade to get back at their kidnappers by helping government authorities track them down.

This effort led to the apprehension of some Abu Sayyaf members, three of whom are now serving life terms.

In the process, Barandino lost one of his sons who was executed by the bandits in retaliation for a military raid on their hideout in Basilan that left 16 of its members dead.

The departments of national defense and interior and local governments, in a joint circular, classified Tulling as one of the notorious Abu Sayyaf bandits with a P150,000 bounty.  – With Jaime Laude