Sipadan kidnapping suspect arrested

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – An Abu Sayyaf bandit tagged in the Sipadan kidnapping in April 2000 was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in a village here, an official said yesterday.

Munap Saimaran, with aliases of Mentang Abdul Munap and Said, was collared by joint police and military operatives near the city hall along Pablo Lorenzo street at 4:30 p.m., said Chief Superintendent Miguel Antonio, Police Regional Office 9 director.

Antonio said the suspect was brought to the Western Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit. 

Saimaran’s arrest was based on the warrant issued by Judge Ernesto Gutierez, acting presiding judge of the 9th Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 4 in Parang, Sulu.

Antonio said Judge Erlinda Uy, presiding judge of RTC Branch 162 in Pasig City, also issued a warrant for Saimaran’s arrest for 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the Sipadan kidnapping.

Twenty-one tourists, including nine Malaysians, 10 Europeans and two Filipino staff were taken from a resort in Sipadan, Sabah and brought to Sulu, where they were held captive for about five months.

The victims were released in batches after reportedly paying millions of dollars in ransom.