Charges filed vs Sayyaf, MILF rebels

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday filed criminal charges against the Abu Sayyaf extremists and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas involved in the killing of 23 soldiers during a bloody gunbattle in Basilan early this month.

Among those charged with multiple murder were Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama and MILF rebels identified as Atih Indama, Asali Mallatin, Abdullah Hud, Abdullah Piyasta, Husad Alajala, and Imhar Dasar.

The charges stemmed from the bloody gunbattle in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan that erupted between government forces and the Abu Sayyaf and left over 50 people dead and 22 others wounded.

Government forces clashed with the group of Indama in the day-long gunbattle with some MILF forces helping the bandit group.

Police said Indama is also wanted in the killing of 14 Marines in an ambush in Al Barka town in Basilan in July last year.

Police also arrested a suspected Abu Sayyaf bandit that took part in the kidnapping of tourists in a resort in Palawan in 2001.

Hajer Sailani, also known as Martin Alvarez, was arrested in a shopping mall by military and police operatives, a police statement said.

Sailani, who has a P350,000 bounty on his head, “is now undergoing tactical interrogation,” the PNP said.

Sailani was among the Abu Sayyaf men wanted for kidnapping 20 foreign and local tourists from a beach resort on Palawan in 2001.

Among the captives was an American missionary couple, one of whom died in a rescue operation a year later. The kidnappers beheaded a third American hostage.

Sailani is also wanted for the kidnapping for Jeffrey Schilling in August 2000. The young American, who walked into an Abu Sayyaf hideout with a Muslim bride, was freed unharmed several months later.