Suspect in 2000 Sipadan kidnapping nabbed in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- An Abu Sayyaf member believed involved in the mass kidnapping of Sipadan tourists in 2000 was arrested Thursday afternoon in a village in this city.

 

The suspect was arrested while President Rodrigo Duterte was visiting military units in this city and in Basilan.

 

The suspect, identified as Bads Adjam, also known with his aliases as Pa Malod and Abu Jihad, has a bounty of P600,000 for his arrest based on a Department of National Defense (DND) joint order.

 

Adjam was arrested by the joint elements of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) under R.Adm. Jorge Amba, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the National Capital Region, and the CIDG regional office here.

 

The suspect was arrested about 4 p.m. in the vicinity of Barangay Sta. Maria near the Air Force base where President Duterte landed earlier during his visit.

 

The NFWM reported that Adjam's arrest was on the strength of a string of warrants of arrest issued by the Sulu court and NCR Regional Trial Court branch 262 based in Pasig City.

 

The case against Adjam stemmed from his alleged participation in the kidnapping of 21 tourists in April 2000, including 10 Malaysians, 9 Europeans, and two Filipino resort workers in Sipadan Island, Malaysia.

 

The warrant of arrest also tagged Adjam in the kidnapping of six members of the Jehovah's Witness kidnapping in Patikul town, Sulu in 2002.

 

The captured suspect was detained at the CIDG 9 lock-up cell for documentation and proper disposition.

 

Adjam's arrest was part of the intensified operation by NFWM and JTF-Tawi-Tawi to address cross-border kidnapping incidents staged by the Abu Sayyaf group.

 

The Abu Sayyaf group, operating the cross border kidnapping, is currently holding nine foreign captives, including two from the West, seven Indonesians, and three locals.

 

Military authorities were also verifying reports the Abu Sayyaf Group also abducted five Malaysians tugboat crewmen last Monday off Lahad Datu, Sabah and brought them to Tawi-Tawi.