CAMP CRAME – Police commandos captured an armourer and another wanted member of the ISIS-inspired Abu Sayyaf Group during separate counter-intelligence operations in Basilan, Friday morning.
Reports reaching PNP Chief, Police General Debold M. Sinas from Police Brigadier General Bernabe Balba, Acting Director of PNP Special Action Force disclosed that a Counter Terrorism Operation was launched on the wee hours this morning by the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of Police Regional Office 9; and 5th Special Action Battalion (SAB) and 84th Special Action Company (Seaborne) of the Rapid Deployment Battalion (RDB) of PNP Special Action Force and to implement Search Warrant No. 04-2020 for Illegal Possession of Explosives and Ammunition issued by Hon. Leo Jay T Principe, Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 1 of Isabela City, Basilan.
Ranger Siason, the subject of the search was placed under arrest when the raiding team found a cache of explosives at his residence in Purok 1, Brgy. Aguada, Isabela City, Basilan.
Confiscated from Siason’s possession were two fragmentation grenades, two 40mm High Explosive shells, 30 rounds of 5.56mm rifle ammunition, four kilograms of Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil (ANFO)explosives, six cal.50 shells, and an ISIS flag.
In a separate operation at 4:45a.m. Munjiral Kabole, the subject of a Warrant of Arrest for Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention issued by Hon. Danilo Bucoy of RTC Branch 2 of Isabela City, Basilan, was captured another counter terrorism operation initiated by the PNP Intelligence Group backed by operatives from PNP-SAF, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Marines, and Basilan Police Provincial Office in Barangay Saluping of the island mincipality of Tabuan-Lasa, Basilan.
The Chief PNP quickly commended the operating units for the effective execution of the counter terrorism operations even as he reiterated his instructions to further intensify law enforcement efforts against domestic threat groups and terrorist organizations, particularly the Abu Sayyaf Group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF), and the communist New People’s Army.
According to PNP Spoksperon, Police Brig. General Ildebrandi Usana, Police records identified Siason as an associate of the Abu Sayyaf Group based in Basilan responsible for the procurement and transport of explosives and ammunition for the terrorist group.
Siason is also being sought for alleged involvement in the Abu Sayyaf rampage in Barangay Tubigan, Maluso, Basilan on August 1, 2017 where nine residents were massacred and a cluster of houses were burned, Usana said.
Kabole on the otherhand, is principal suspect in the kidnapping of Hja Sadday Jalal sometime in 2009 in Sumisip, Basilan. He is also involved in the series of attack on PNP and AFP forces in Basilan Privince. Kabole is under of the command of the notorious ASG Sub-Leader PASIL BAYALI. Usana said the PNP will file criminal charges against Siason for Illegal Possession of Explosives and Ammunition while Kabole will be presented to the Court for the procedural return of warrant.