A man who was earlier arrested by the police in a drug bust in Taguig has been identified as a member of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
The Southern Police District (SPD) headed by Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg presented suspect Fahad Dumayag alias Abu Cola, 31, to the media on Feb. 18.
Macaraeg said Dumayag is a member of the ASG responsible for the 2002 kidnapping of members of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Patikul, Sulu and the 2001 Lamitan siege in Basilan.
Dumayag was arrested in Taguig on Jan. 28 during a buy-bust operation by the SPD and Taguig police. Authorities confiscated from him 12 grams of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) worth P81,600, one 40mm M203 grenade, and one rifle grenade.
According to the SPD, it was established during a custodial debriefing that Dumayag is a member of Abu Sayyaf under the group of Espilon Hapilon, Jamiri and Undanan.
Suspect Dumayag, according to the SPD, further admitted that he was a member of the ASG and claimed that he is a follower and a fanatic of the extremist group.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional director Major Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. commended the cooperation between police and military in the identification of Dumayag.
“A victim-witness physically identified Abu Cola as one of her kidnappers and a member of ASG,” said Macaraeg.