The 21-year-old Mark Bolkerin Gumbahale, believed to be a fan of Osama bin Laden and who had a P5-million reward on his head, was presented to President Arroyo by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.
Gumbahale’s arrest in Taguig appears to confirm earlier intelligence reports on the presence of several members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group in Metro Manila.
Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal, PNP Intelligence Group director, said Gumbahale is ranked No. 8 in the Abu Sayyaf hierarchy. He has been charged before the Sulu regional trial court for his alleged roles in kidnapping and serious illegal detention undertaken by the Abu Sayyaf group.
In a chance interview on Friday, Gumbahale admitted his role in the Sipadan kidnapping in April 2000, saying that his group provided security to Commander Robot and Sabaya upon their arrival in Sulu from Malaysia together with the hostages — two Finns, three Germans, three French, two South Africans, Malaysians and two Filipino workers.
The Sipadan kidnapping propelled the Abu Sayyaf to international notoriety. The group struck again in May last year, taking three Americans and 17 Filipinos from the posh Dos Palmas resort in Palawan who were later released after payments of ransom.
The incident ended last June 7 when Martin Burnham and Filipina nurse Edibora Yap were killed during rescue operations while his wife Gracia was wounded but rescued.
Gumbahale told The STAR that he directly participated in a series of bombings in Metro Manila on Dec. 30, 2000 and the beheading of seven Army enlisted men and two Army officers during an ambush in Cumalang jungle in Basilan two years ago.
He said that this group was involved in the hostage-taking of students in Lamitan and teachers in Malamawi, Basilan in 1999.
Gumbahale, also known as Abu Jumbail, Abu Pula and Abdin Jumdain, did not resist arrest as the police moved in while he was playing "Counter Strike" at the internet cafe.
During interrogation, police said Gumbahale admitted to planting the bomb that was recovered at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City which exploded while being defused by police ordnance experts and killed two police officers.
He narrated his role in the planting of a bomb that destroyed a passenger bus in Cubao, Quezon City also on Dec. 30, 2000. He added that one of his colleagues was killed when the bomb exploded prematurely. He admitted he was also involved in the LRT Blumentritt station bombing.
Gumbahale said that before the simultaneous Dec. 30, 2000 bombings, Muklis Yunos, the head of the special operations group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) met his group in Quiapo, Manila.
He said that it was in Quiapo where they fitted explosives, which were transferred from Zamboanga, with timing devices.
"In Quiapo, our group was divided into two. My group was tasked to launch special operations in Makati while the other was tasked to handle the LRT operation," he told The STAR.
Gumbahale said that foreign-looking men have provided material support such as fatigue uniforms and combat boots to their groups. He said that these foreign-looking men had instructed Janjalani, Sabaya and Hapilon Isnilon on operational matters.
His admissions may shed light on claims that the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF, while not directly linked with each other, may be under the influence of bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terror network through the Jemaah Islamiyah.
Gumbahale said that he joined the Abu Sayyaf group when he was 16 years old after his first cousin recruited him.He denied that he is in Metro Manila on a special mission.
Gumbahale said he had taken a leave of absence from his group more than one year ago and now lives a "new life" with his parents in Taguig. — With Christina Mendez, Marichu Villanueva