MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have arrested two suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in separate operations in Pasay City, the National Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday.
NBI Officer-in-Charge Eric Distor identified the arrested individuals as Jamar Ibi, a.k.a. “Bas” and Raden Jamil, a.k.a “Tamiya.” They were arrested in Pasay City on October 12 and 19.
The NBI said the two are facing standing arrest warrants for kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom. The bureau added that Ibi and Jamil are believed to be involved in the 2002 kidnapping of Jehovah’s Witness members in Patikul, Sulu.
In the kidnapping incident, the Jehovah’s Witnesses members were on board a jeepney headed for Jolo town to sell cosmetic products when they picked up two hitchhikers before noon of Aug. 21, 2002. The two men later pulled out handguns,
Distor said that the operation stemmed from information the bureau’s Counter-Terrorism Division (NBI-CTD) that Abu Sayyaf members were seen in Pasay City. A witness had also positively identified Ibi and Jamar from a photo line-up, the NBI added.
The NBI OIC said that the NBI-CTD and its counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines conducted casing and surveillance operations, and on October 12, NBI-CTD, NBI-Death Investigation Division and the AFP arrested Ibi.
Ibi is said to have served as perimeter guard during the kidnapping.
A separate operation on October 19, also in Pasay City, was conducted by NBI-CTD and AFP operations to arrest Tamiya.
The two arrested suspects are being detained at the NBI detention facility. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from The STAR/Roel Pareño