AFP presents 2 suspects in Ces kidnapping

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The two young Abu Sayyaf bandits who were among the kidnappers of ABS-CBN broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and her cameramen last month were turned over by the military to the police for the filing of criminal charges.

This developed after the military checked out the claims made by one of the suspects regarding the supposed plot of the Abu Sayyaf to launch bomb attacks in Sulu.

Col. Eugenio Clemen, 3rd Marine Brigade commander, said they received unconfirmed reports that the bandit group has already assembled the explosive devices to be used for the attacks.

Clemen said they are checking out the information provided by captured Abu Sayyaf member Nadzmir Amirul, alias Abu Kudama, who revealed the plans of the bandit group to launch attacks in Sulu in the next few weeks.

Amirul was captured Friday in a checkpoint along with a 14-year-old companion in Patikul.

Drilon and her two cameramen positively identified both suspects as among those who kidnapped them in Sulu last June 8.

“The information (about the bombing) turned out to be unverified because Amirul said he has no idea,” Clemen later said.

Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga led the military in presenting the two suspects and turning them over to police custody.

Amirul was said to have been surveying possible targets in Jolo before he was arrested.

Marine intelligence operatives, on the other hand, are verifying reports that the Abu Sayyaf has already assembled the explosive devices in Jolo.

Following his arrest, Amirul admitted receiving P50,000 as his share for the kidnapping of Drilon and her crew, along with Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo.

Amirul claimed he had once left the Abu Sayyaf in disgust and slipped into Malaysia to work as a laborer. He went back to Mindanao because of the crackdown by the Malaysian police three months ago.

Amirul said he was convinced by a certain commander Ipalo to rejoin the group to earn money.

The military, on the other hand, said they are expecting more arrests following the capture of the two extremists.

Clemen said they have already identified those who were seen on the video footage secretly taken by Jimmy Encarnacion, one of the cameramen of Drilon taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf.