2 Abu Sayyaf members nabbed in Tawi-Tawi, Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - - Two suspected Abu Sayyaf members  were arrested separately by joint police and militanry intelligence units in this area of Western Mindanao.

The suspects were identified as Mobin Hailil alias Kah Humbo and Jauhari Idris, who is also known Jal and Boy Tinik, the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime (PCTC) disclosed.

Hailil, tagged  a suspect in abduction cases  in Mabbul Island off Malaysia,  was nabbed by the joint intelligence team of the police Special Action Force (SAF), Regional Intelligence Division 9 (RID), Tawi-Tawi provincial police and Air Force in Batangay Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi past 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The arresting forces also recovered a fragmentation grenade and a .45 caliber pistol from Hailil, who was placed under investigation to determine if he is also involved in the recent kidnapping incidents in Sabah, whose victims were taken to Sulu.

Meanwhile, joint police and military intelligence also captured Idris in a village of Lamitan City, Basilan pre-dawn Monday.

Idris has a standing warrant for kidnapping with serious illegal detention issued by the local court of Basilan.

The arrest of Idris came hours before an unidentified assassin gunned down suspected Abu Sayyaf ‘spotter’ Abdul Asmaril Lampas, a native of Ungkaya Pukan town, Lamitan.