Sipadan hostage-taker nabbed in Sibugay

MANILA, Philippines - A suspected leader of the Abu Sayyaf, who was tagged in the Sipadan kidnapping in 2000, was arrested in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay on Tuesday.

Ibni Acosta was collared around 10 p.m. based on a warrant issued by Judge Erlinda Pinera Uy of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 162 for 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the kidnapping of 21 foreign tourists in Sipadan, an island resort in Sabah.

Lt. Col. Audie Mongao, public affairs office chief of the 1st Infantry Division, said Acosta did not resist arrest when cornered by members of the Special Forces Battalion, Zamboanga Sibugay police and intelligence unit of the Philippine Air Force in Barangay Poblacion.

All the Sipadan hostages, including 10 Malaysians, nine Europeans and two Filipino staff of the resort, were released after a series of negotiations that resulted in the payment of millions of dollars in ransom to the Abu Sayyaf, then headed by Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya, and Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot.

Sabaya was killed in a sea clash in 2001 while Robot, whom the Army captured in Sulu, was killed in a riot at a jail facility in Bicutan.

Meanwhile, the military has launched separate rescue operations for the nine remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf.

“For each kidnap victim, there is a separate tracking for ther eventual rescue, “ Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said.

Among those still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf are Dutch birdwatcher Elwold Horn, Malaysians Thien Nyuk Fun and Bernard Then Ted fen, Korean businessman Noui Hong Sung, Japanese Toshio Ito and Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay Mayor Gemma Adana.