Slain Abu leader former Army integree

MANILA, Philippines – Slain Abu Sayyaf commander Abul Dahim who led an ambush on the convoy of the late Sulu provincial commander Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim last Thursday turned out to be a former Army integree.

Military verification on Dahim’s background showed that he was one of the hundreds of Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters integrated into the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a result of the signed 1996 peace pact between the government and the MNLF. “He was a former Army integree who went on absent without official leave (AWOL) to join the Abu Sayyaf terorrists,” said Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan, commander of the 4th Marine Battalion.

Dahim, along with his heavily armed followers ambushed Kasim’s convoy Thursday afternoon at Barangay Bulabog, Maimbung, killing the highest police official in the province. Slain with Kasim were his brother Rosalin, SPO3 Asbi Jammahari and SPO3 Abdurajan. In the fighting that ensued for almost an hour Dahim and his four followers, identified as Najir Namli, Sahil Dahim and Antahar Dahim were also killed by Kasim’s police escorts. Police also captured one of the wounded Abu Sayyaf ambushers identified as Junli Dahim. Military records showed that the slain Abu leader also spearheaded an ambush on an Army convoy in Barangay Bulabog in 2007, killing 26 soldiers.

“Siya rin ang leader ng grupong tumambang sa ating mga sundalo kung saan marami ang namatay,” said Caculitan, now leading the hunt for the Abu Sayyaf ambushers of Kasim and those still holding hostage Italian Red Cross volunteer Eugenio Vagni.