ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Criminal and Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) in Sulu Province on Monday, Aug. 22, filed additional charges of murder and frustrated murder against a detained Abu Sayyaf sub-leader who is already facing cases of kidnapping and murder in Sulu.
CIDG Sulu operatives together with Patikul Municipal Police Station personnel served a warrant of arrest for two counts of murder and frustrated murder against Ben Ahaddi Quirino aka Ben Tattoo, 41, under Oplan Pagtutugis.
P/Col. John Francis Encinareal, CIDG-9 chief, said Quirino was already detained at the Sulu Provincial Jail for several counts of kidnap-for-ransom and murder charges for his alleged involvement in a series of kidnappings of local and foreign tourists.
Quirino has also committed atrocities against government troops when the warrants of arrest were served to him.
The warrant of arrest served against Quirino was issued by the Regional Trial Court, 9th Judicial Region. No bail was recommended.
Quirino was allegedly involved in the 2016 murder through decapitation of two Canadian tourists, Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, after they were kidnapped together with Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina partner Marites Flor in Samal Island in 2015.
Sekkingstad and Flor were subsequently released.
Meanwhile, Quirino, together with another Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Almujer Yadah surrendered to Joint Task Force Sulu in June this year.