Villager instrumental in surrender of Abu terrorists shot dead in Basilan

COTABATO CITY — Gunmen on Thursday, September 26, shot dead a resident of an upland town in Lamitan City, Basilan who had reportedly helped the police and military secure the surrender of more than 10 members of the Abu Sayyaf in the past three years.

Radio reports in Cotabato City on Friday quoted local executives and officials of the Lamitan City Police Station as saying that Suadi Wakil Jahwan was seated at the front seat of a van parked in the Oval Public Market in Barangay Matibay in Lamitan City when men armed with .45 caliber pistols approached him and opened fire, killing him on the spot.

Relatives and friends of Jahwan, a resident of Barangay Tumahubong in Sumisip, Basilan have a theory that the gun attack that resulted in his death could be related to his having helped the police, the military and local officials secure the surrender of more than 10 member members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the past three years.

All towns in Basilan and its two cities, Lamitan and Isabela, had been declared “Abu Sayyaf free” in recent months, after the surrender in batches, since 2016, of more than 400 members of the group through the intercession of provincial officials, traditional Yakan, Tausug and Sama leaders and members of the league of mayors in the island province.

Lamitan City police officials said the killers of Jahwan had immediately escaped using getaway motorcycles.