Abu Sayyaf wanted for kidnapping captured in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Joint government security forces arrested Thursday a member of the Abu Sayyaf group wanted for kidnapping in Basilan, during a tracking operation in this city.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, city police officer director identified the suspect as Arasad Saidjuwan also known as Arasad Amin Sahid with aliases “Abu Ayob,” “Abu Mara” and “Amama.”

Casimiro said joint operatives of the military and police arrested Saidjuwan about 9:30 a.m. while walking along Zaragosa Street in the downtown area of the city.

He said the suspect had just alighted from a passenger ferry coming from Isabela City, Basilan when he was cornered by joint forces of city police, Philippine Center for Transnational Crime (PCTC), Presidential Anti-Organize Crime Commission (PAOCC), naval intelligence group and the regional intelligence unit.

Saidjuwan has a standing warrant of arrest issued by Judge Leo Jay Principe of Isabela City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1 for kidnapping with serious illegal detention.

The case stemmed from the abduction of plantation workers in Barangay Tairan, Lantawan town, Basilan in 2001.

The suspect, who will be turned over to the proper court, was brought to Zamboanga City Police Office for investigation and documentation.