ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police arrested a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group during a law enforcement operation in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Col. John Francis Encinareal, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9 chief, identified the suspect as Abubakar Abdulkadil, alias “Basaron Arok,” 35, of Patikul, Sulu.
The CIDG, Special Action Force, and Jolo police arrested Abdulkadil after serving warrants of arrest for multiple murder, frustrated murder, and kidnapping with ransom.
Encinareal identified the suspect as an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader under the group of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan in Patikul.
He was also identified as a member of the Daulah Islamiya involved in a series of kidnapping and bombing incidents with multiple arrest warrants.
Abdulkadil was linked as a suspect in the bombing of the Jolo Cathedral in Jolo in 2019 and twin explosions also in Jolo the following year.
He was taken into custody by the 7th Special Action Battalion prior to his turnover to the concerned court.