Abu Sabaya’s group sighted with Schilling

ZAMBOANGA CITY — An Abu Sayyaf group led by Abu Asmad Salayuddi alias Abu Sabaya has moved American captive Jeffrey Schilling out of Patikul, Sulu and brought him to Panamao town, the military disclosed yesterday.

Col. Fredesvindo Covarrubias, chief of the Civil Relations Group for Mindanao, quoted villagers as saying that Schilling, 24, a native of Oakland, California, USA, has slimmed down.

Covarrubias said Sabaya’s group, along with Schilling, has been crisscrossing the towns of Patikul, Panamao and Luuk to evade government forces tracking them down.

He said they still have no idea of the whereabouts of Filipino dive master Roland Ullah, the last remaining captive from among 21 mostly foreign hostages the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped from the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan last April 23.

Earlier, Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan said he received reports that Ullah might have joined his captors after being subjected to indoctrination.

Meanwhile, the military said three Abu Sayyaf fighters and a soldier were killed when Scout Rangers stormed the lair of the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Mujib Susukan in Barangay Kagay, Indanan, Sulu last Saturday night.

The previous day, government troops clashed with the extremist rebels in Talipao town. The military believe that five guerrillas were killed in the two-hour firefight.

Since the military offensive on the Abu Sayyaf began last Sept. 16, at least 178 Abu Sayyaf rebels have been killed. The govern-ment’s side suffered seven fatalities and 23 wounded.