By Aaron Recuenco
Four suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group who abducted a seven-year-old daughter of a businessman in Tawi-Tawi were arrested in an entrapment operation in Jolo, Sulu, a local police official said onSaturday.
(AP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional police, said the operation stemmed from the assistance sought by the parents of the girl.
He identified the arrested suspects as Ajin Titong, 28; Kimar Abdurajik, 28; and Adjidi Andul, 51. The fourth arrested suspect is a 16-year old minor.
“They kidnapped the victim in Tawi-Tawi a few days ago. They took the victim in Sulu and they demanded P 1 million for the release,” Mijares told the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.
Police and military men in Sulu then laid down an entrapment operation after the suspects demanded an initial P500,000 down payment for the release of the victim. The second P500,000 was scheduled to be given in Barangay Walled City in Jolo but it was then that the suspects were arrested.
“The victim was rescued by the joint police and military personnel,” said Mijares. “I laud the efforts of the operating teams for this successful operation. I also commend the intelligence community which provided important details for the success of this operation,” he added.
The ASG is notorious for kidnap-for-ransom activities, their modus is to kidnap people in other areas and bring them to Sulu at the course of the negotiation.
In some cases, some groups based in Western Mindanao would carry out the kidnapping and turn the victim to the ASG which in turn would handle the negotiations.