Troops capture 'most wanted' highway bandit

 
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  - Government security forces captured the most wanted highway bandit leader, tagged in the killing of soldiers soldiers and burning of passenger bus, during a raid in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay, a military officer said.

Maj. Edgardo Amores, spokesman of 1st Army Division, identified the suspect as Munib Aukusa, dubbed as the most wanted highway bandit in the Zamboanga peninsula.

Amores said Aukusa was captured Tuesday morning by the joint forces of 44th Infantry Battalion, 1st Light Reaction Company (LRC), 6th Special Forces Battalion, intelligence unit and police forces at his hideout in sitio Tikol, Barangay Langon, Tungawan town, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The military said Aukusa has a string of warrants of arrest for various crimes issued by the branch 24 of Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Zamboanga Sibugay.

Amores said Aukusa was responsible for the gun slaying of two army intelligence personnel of 9th Intelligence Service Unit (ISU) in 2008; highway robbery and burning of a Rural Transit Bus that resulted to the killing of Maj. Julistidi Arasid, his wife, and a Cafgu marshall while another Cafgu was wounded on April 5, 2011.

The suspect was turned over to police custody for proper filing of charges.