Duterte stands by city official with alleged Sayyaf links

DAVAO CITY — Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he is standing by a City Hall official who was arrested last Saturday by military intelligence agents for his alleged links with the Abu Sayyaf.

"I stand by my choice of Masil (Ahalul). I suggest that he face the charges and maybe, apply for bail and then he can come back to work again in my administration," Duterte said.

A joint team of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the Military Intelligence Group arrested Ahalul in his residence along Quimpo Boulevard here last Saturday morning. He was immediately flown to Manila reportedly for security reasons.

Ahalul was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by the Zamboanga City court for his alleged involvement in the killing of a Customs official there sometime in 1999.

He was also implicated in the Abu Sayyaf raid on Ipil, Zamboanga del Norte sometime in the 1990s.

Duterte said he appointed Ahalul as his deputy mayor for the Tausog tribe after knowing him for more than 10 years.

The mayor appoints a deputy mayor for each of the Muslim tribes and ethnic groups in the city as his representative to the indigenous communities.

Duterte said he has known all along that Ahalul sister was married to Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya.

He described Ahalul as a well-respected man, saying that leaders of the local Muslim community can also vouch for his reputation.

Duterte said Ahalul, like other Muslims, could have probably extended support in some way to Abu Sayyaf members. But he added, "There is no fuss to it, really."