NBI nabs 3 Abu Sayyaf members

MANILA — Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Counter Terrorism Division (NBI-CTD) have arrested three Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members in a month-long operation in Taguig, Manila and Kawit City in Cavite.

NBI Director Dante Gierran, in a press briefing Tuesday, identified the three as Ibnus Isa a.k.a. “Jade”, Amerudin Parasan a.k.a. “Mudasier”, and Abdel-Amin Bandahala a.k.a. “Abu Black”.

The NBI said the group was involved in the abduction of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Patikul, Sulu in 2002 and the Golden Harvest kidnapping case in Lantawan, Basilan on August 20, 2001.

NBI Assistant Director for Intelligence Service Eric Distor said the agency, citing follow up reports, found Amerudin Pasaran and Ibnus Isa hiding in a safe house in Metro Manila while Abdel-Amin Bandahala was employed as a security guard in Kawit, Cavite.

The operations were conducted by the NBI in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police Manila Police District (PNP-MPD) and Southern Police District (PNP-NCRPO-SPD)

A total of 18 members of the terrorist group have been apprehended by the NBI since January.