Abu Sayyaf financier falls in Parañaque

MANILA, Philippines - A leader of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group was arrested by joint police and military forces in Parañaque City yesterday.

Khair Mundos, 50, said to be Abu Sayyaf’s financier and middleman in the rebel group’s transaction with the al-Qaeda terrorist network, was nabbed at his brother’s house on Bonifacio Street, Barangay San Dionisio, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.

Mundos allegedly receives money from al-Qaeda to finance Abu Sayyaf’s terrorist activities, said CIDG-National Capital Region head Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo.

Fajardo said the suspect admitted being a former commander of the Abu Sayyaf. 

He allayed fears that Mundos would lead a terror attack in Metro Manila during the celebration of the Independence Day today.

$500,000 reward

Mundos carries a $500,000 bounty on his head offered by the Justice Department of the United States for his alleged involvement in the raid at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan in 2001.

Fajardo said he escaped from a jail in Kidapawan, Cotabato in 2007.

Mundos is facing charges of multiple murder and frustrated murder.

“Since his escape from jail in 2007, he sought refuge with his relatives in Metro Manila to escape the heat in Mindanao,” Fajardo said.

The CIDG official said Mundos’ arrest came following two months of surveillance operations.

The arresting lawmen headed by Superintendent Danilo Macerin of the CIDG and Chief Inspector Wilfredo Sy of the Parañaque police served the warrant for his arrest.

Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte said the CIDG coordinated with the Parañaque police, but their role was limited only to providing back up to the arresting team. 

With Mundos’ arrest, the military is hopeful that the funding sources of the Abu Sayyaf will be affected.

“We hope that we disrupt the funding (of the terrorist group),” Peter Galvez, spokesman for the defense department, told reporters.

Galvez called on the sympathizers and members of the Abu Sayyaf to abandon terrorism.

“Terrorism will lead to nowhere. It affects the development of the country. They should lay down their arms,” he said.

Retaliatory attacks

The military, on the other hand, remains on alert against possible retaliatory attacks from the Abu Sayyaf, said Brig. Gen. Carlito Galvez, commander of the Army’s 104th Brigade in Basilan.

He said they have deployed more troops in coordination with the Basilan provincial police office to thwart any terror attack by the Abu Sayyaf. – With Alexis Romero, Roel Pareño, Perseus Echeminada