Abu Sayyaf member wanted for mass abduction nabbed in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Police and its intelligence unit arrested an Abu Sayyaf member, who went into hiding for his involvement in a mass abduction and siege in Lamitan City, during a law enforcement operation Thursday in a coastal village east of this city, official said.

The captured suspect was identified as Wahab Sahirin Salapuddin, alias Abu Damdam, said to be a member of the Abu Sayyaf group based in Basilan, said Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, director of Police Regional Office 9 (PRO).

Beltran said the local police from Station 3 backed by the intelligence unit nabbed Salapuddin about 5:45 p.m. after being tracked in the vicinity of Barangay Sangali.

The police official said Salapuddin has a standing warrant of arrest for seven counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention which stemmed from the mass abduction of plantation workers of Golden Harvest Plantation at Barangay Tairan, Lantawan town, Basilan on June 11, 2001.

The police and military were also looking at Salapuddin’s participation in the siege of Lamitan City church and hospital on June 2 on the same year.

Beltran said the arrested militant was detained at the police station in Sangali while waiting for proper disposition to the court.

The arrest of Salapuddin brought the number of arrested Abu Sayyaf member to 25, Beltran added.