Abu Sayyaf tag sparks PNP, lawmaker row

MANILA, Philippines — The arrest and tagging of a man as a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group has sparked a row between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and House Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman.

The PNP yesterday said it would seek a dialogue with Hataman, who assailed the police force for identifying his constituent as a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf.

Hataman said Hadji Faisal Sarakil, who was identified by the PNP as Hadji Faisal Abdulkarim, is not a member of the local terror group.

But PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said police records showed otherwise.

“That’s on our records. What is certain is there’s an arrest warrant. I will not disregard the opinion of the congressman. We will coordinate with him,” Sinas told journalists.

Abdulkarim, who was arrested in Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan over the weekend, was wanted for the murder of a barangay chairman as well as for the torching of several houses in the province.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Hataman said Abdulkarim couldn’t be an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader.

Hataman showed photos of the suspect standing beside Army Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Egverr Jonathan Abutin and Bangsamoro Transition Authority member Ustadz Alzad Satta during a recent groundbreaking for a government project.

“With what you’re doing, it seems you want to revive the ASG here in our province when there are only a few left. Gen. Sinas, maybe you can look into what your people are doing. This is not the first time, but I hope this is your last mischief here in our province,” Hataman said, referring to the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Sinas said he wanted to know Hataman’s reasons for defending Abdulkarim. He said police officials on the ground who were coordinating with the Army said the suspect’s name appeared in intelligence reports.

Hataman urged Sinas to investigate what he described as indiscriminate arrests and tagging of his constituents as Abu Sayyaf bandits.

The family of Abdulkarim denied the allegations, saying he is a fisherman and working for the government.

“How can my father be an Abu Sayyaf member when we are on the side of the government? My father risked his life in the operation as a military guide,” Alfha Sarakil, a member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit under the Special Forces Battalion (SFBn), said.

Sarakil said his brothers are village chairman and retired member of the SFBn.