OPERATIVES of the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested five terror group members, including a woman, in separate operations this week.
PNP-CIDG director Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. identified those arrested as Jurahman Kirah Abirin alias “Dats,” a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group; Julito Maganding alias “‘Ka Bruno,” 39; Jeffrey Samling, 29; Rosita Solayao Taboy alias “Ka Laling,” 64, all members of the New People’s Army, and Taboy’s husband Antonio Legazpi.
Abirin was caught in his house in Bgy. Tulungatung in Zamboanga City.
Seized were one hand grenade and one cal. .45 semi-automatic pistol with defaced serial numbers, and a magazine with three live ammunition.
According to Caramat, the suspect is wanted for involvement in gun-for-hire activities in Zamboanga City and other parts of Western Mindanao.
Abirin was also involved in the assassination of Al-barka, Basilan Mayor Darussalam Lajid and his driver, and the wounding of Akbar, Basilan Mayor Ali Salih in the Baliwasan Seaside in Zamboanga City on December 6, 2021.
The PNP-CIDG director said that a record check showed that Abirin is a follower of ASG leader Radullan Sahiron and said to be involved in the infamous Sipadan kidnappings on April 2000, the kidnapping of Malaysian couple Thien Nyuk Fun and Bernard Ted Fen in May 2015, and the kidnapping of the Jehovah’s Witness members in Patikul on Aug. 20, 2002.
The other arrested suspects are all members of the CPP-NPA.
Samling, a former member of the CPP-NPA’s Davao del Sur Guerrilla Front 72 was arrested on the strength of a warrant of arrest for murder while Maganding, a former NPA squad leader in Davao Occidental, was arrested on the basis of a warrant for rebellion.
Taboy and her husband were arrested in a PNP-CIDG-led raid in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan last Thursday by officers who were armed with a warrant for arson, murder, and frustrated murder.
Caramat said that Taboy’s husband , Antonio was arrested for trying to prevent the officers from arresting the accused.
During the search of the couple’s house, officers recovered one cal. .38 revolver, a cal. .45 pistol with magazine containing seven live ammunition, 17 rounds of cal. .38 ammunition, one dynamite, two electric blasting caps, a detonating cap, two mobile phones, two USB flash drives, nine compact discs; 10 different SIM, cards and three envelopes said to be containing subversive documents.
Caramat described the couple as members of the CPP-NPA Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee, where Taboy plays a significant role as staff members of its National Finance Commission.
The official said the female terror group member has a P5.2-million bounty for her capture.
