ZAMBOANGA MAYOR Beng Climaco has called on citizens to stay vigilant and cooperate with security forces as threats of terror attacks persist amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Climaco, who chairs the local and regional security councils, said terror groups continue to target highly populated areas, including Zamboanga, for propaganda purposes.
“The target of these terror groups is to move to highly populated areas and that is why - with the grace of God and the cooperation of the Muslims, Christian, Lumad Zamboangueños, and our security forces, my directives to our security forces is to deny terrorists the opportunity to conduct terror in our beloved Zamboanga as they will always have that aspiration to conduct terror in Zamboanga because our population is big,” she said.
The mayor said the local government is working closely with the police and military to ensure the safety and welfare of the Zamboangueños and vital installations.
“We have been working with Western Mindanao Command’s Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan and other intelligence units of Zamboanga, and I have met with him and PRO-9 Brigadier General Jesus Cambay, Jr. and there should be more cohesive efforts in our coordination with the local governments and we really have to stay vigil because of the threats of bombings, car bombing, suicide attacks and kidnappings,” she said.
Climaco urged citizens to report to authorities any suspicious persons or baggage. “Your cooperation is important in our efforts to fight terrorism. Let us help our authorities defeat terrorism and protect Zamboanga and its people from harm,” she said.
Abu Sayyaf
Just recently, General Camilo Cascolan, chief of the national police, announced the capture here of four Abu Sayyaf militants, including a senior member of the terror group with links to ISIS.
Cascolan said one of the suspects, Hassan Anang Mohammad, who was captured in his hideout, is being implicated in the brutal murder of the 71-year old Doroteo Gonzales in May 2009.
Gonzales, a carpenter in Zamboanga City, was beheaded in Basilan province after his family failed to pay P25 million ransom in exchange for his life. Mohammad was the second militant arrested in Gonzales’ murder. In August, Brig. Gen. Jesus Cambay Jr, the regional police chief, also announced the capture of Jamiul Nassalon in Caliran village in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Mabuhay town.
Cascolan said three other militants - Kadija Sadji, 31; Abdulman Sarapuddin Tula, 32; and Jailani Al-Rafee Sakandal, 31, were also captured in their hideout. He said security forces recovered an improvised explosive hidden in a can of cookies, including two hand grenades, one .45-caliber pistol, rifle ammunition, batteries, concrete nails, electronic items and an ISIS flag.
He said the operations were carried out by members of the Police Regional Office-9, Regional Intelligence Group, Special Action Force, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
“Background investigation revealed that Sadji and Tula are both members of the Abu Sayyaf group and ISIS financial conduits of Dawlah Islamiya under Mundi Sawadjaan. Tula is identified in police records as in-charge of procuring logistics and provisions for the groups of Sawadjaan and Radullan Sahiron in Sulu.”
“Sadji is the wife of Al Asgar, son of the late Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani. She belongs to the same financial conduit cell with Amaida Salvin who was arrested in Zamboanga City in April 16, 2019, and Merhama Abdul Sawari, alias Meng, who was among four Abu Sayyaf group sleeper agents who died in a police operation in Parañaque City last June 26,” Cascolan said.
He said Sakandal is an active member of the Philippine Coast Guard and is being interrogated to determine his role in the activities of the Abu Sayyaf.
Indon Bomber
On October 10, security forces also captured an Indonesian bomber Rezky Fantasya Rullie and two Filipino Abu Sayyaf militants Nur-Aina Alihasan, the wife abu Sayyaf fighter Ben Yadah; and Fatima Sandra Jimlani, the wife of another terrorist, in Sulu province.
Rullie is believed to be the daughter of the Indonesian couple who perpetrated the twin suicide bombing at Jolo Cathedral on January 27, 2019. An explosive vest rigged to a pair of pipe bombs was recovered from the trio’s hideout in San Raymundo village in the capital town of Jolo. (Zamboanga Post and Mindanao Examiner)
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