Sabaya brother moved to Zamboanga naval jail

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Muhayser Tilao, the 22-year-old younger brother of Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya, was flown to a naval base here yesterday to prevent the bandits from springing him out of a Marine stockade inside Naval Forces South headquarters in Jolo, Sulu.

Brig. Gen. Orlando Buenaventura, commander of Marine Forces South, said Tilao and another Abu Sayyaf suspect, Talib Baharin, were transferred to Zamboanga City but three others arrested with them have been turned over to the Sulu police.

Buenaventura said his men have tightened security inside their base to avert any plan of the Abu Sayyaf to attack and get Tilao while he is in custody of the Marines.

"The duo have been undergoing tight tactical interrogation before releasing them to the police for proper filing of charges," he said.

Buenaventura said Tilao told military interrogators that most of the Abu Sayyaf bandits have already slipped out of Jolo, capital of Sulu province, when government troops launched a crackdown two months ago.

But some Abu Sayyaf members have started acquiring houses in Jolo, he added.

Buenaventura said Marines are scouring the town center following reports that Abu Sayyaf bandits have slipped out of the jungle to escape the massive military offensive and taken refuge in populated areas.

Marines captured Tilao and four other suspected Abu Sayyaf gangmen during a raid in their hideout inside the Jolo public market in Sulu at noon last Friday.

A fourth bandit, who was a sniper, was killed in the ensuing firefight.

Meanwhile, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Oscar Cruz, said yesterday he doubts the claims of former hostage Reghis Romero, who is a successful businessman, that he did not pay ransom to the Abu Sayyaf.

Cruz, a former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said several witnesses have corroborating statements that dispute Romero’s claims.

The Catholic Church has a policy of not paying ransom to kidnappers, he added. – Roel Pareño, Sandy Araneta