AFP claims 8 alleged ASG bombers in Metro Manila yield

A leader and seven members of a sleeper cell of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group allegedly plotting bombings in Metro Manila have surrendered to military through the soldiers deployed in the urban poor communities in the metropolis. AFP National Capital Region Command chief Maj. Gen. Ben Mohammad Dolorfino claimed the eight have agreed to help the military in convincing the 30 remaining members of the sleeper cell to also yield. The eight surrenderees gave up to the NCRcom headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo on May 1 or two months after they approached the immersed soldiers during a dialogue at the Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Manila. “They approached the soldiers and they discussed their surrender," said Dolorfino of the eight, who initially claimed to be members of the Special Operations Group of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The surrender took place 10 days before the soldiers completed their pull out of the depressed areas to avoid possible allegations that they were involved in irregularities in relation to the May 14 elections. Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has said that the matter on re-deploying the soldiers to the urban poor communities would be subject to his review and approval. It was not clear how long the process will take. The military gave the eight P58,000 under the Balik Baril program for turning over an M-16, Springfield rifle, Thompson sub-machine gun, grenade, three cal. 45 and two cal. 38 handguns and a home-made shotgun. Dolorfino said the eight would not be detained because they were not involved in any atrocity. He said they are presently under the care of the NCRcom’s Civil Military Operations Battalion and are being taught how to repair cellular phones. "This (livelihood program) is part of their process in going back to the folds of the law… We want them to have their own livelihood. Right now, they are under the care of our Civil Military Operations Battalion while their papers are being processed," he said. Dolorfino said the eight arrived in Metro Manila in 1996 after completing a training provided by members of the Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jema’ah Islamiyah in Central Mindanao. The Marine general said they later involved with the Abu Sayyaf. He said they even know those who perpetrated the Valentines Day bombings in 2005 in the cities of Makati, Davao and General Santos that claimed eight lives and injured scores others. The bombings were perpetrated by members of the Abu Sayyaf and the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a radical group of Muslim converts. Military intelligence officials have said the attacks were funded by the JI. Dolorfino also said the eight also know Sanjalih Utoh, leader of an MILF-SOG sleeper cell, who, along with several of his men, was arrested by government forces in an operation in Taytay town in Rizal last February. “They know how to make bombs, the improvised ones that had cell phone triggering device," said Dolorfino of the eight, who he refused to name. He described the leader as between 40 to 50 years old and the seven members as between 20 to 30 years old and all are from Maguindanao. Dolorfino said the eight are not communicating already with the MILF. “What we are seeing as their link is not with the MILF already but with the Abu Sayyaf and Jema’ah (Islamiyah)," the official said of the eight. Asked what the eight were doing for a living in the metropolis, Dolorfino said: “Maybe they are involved in criminal activities there in Tondo." He said the eight are here so that they would be ready for an “operation." On whether the group has a standing plan in the metropolis, Dolorfino said. “What they have yet to execute was the plan to bomb SM Makati and Luneta…They could just be waiting for orders. Once the orders are given, they might bomb but they have completed the plans." However, the official could not say when the group completed the plans. “They have planned to bomb, their group, they have planned to bomb SM Makati and Luneta…for terrorist motives," Dolorfino also said. Dolorfino said the “center of gravity" of the group’s operation is with JI leaders Dulmatin and Omar Patek who are being pursued by thousands of government forces in the island province of Sulu since August last year. Dolorfino said the surrender was a “result of our team's effort in Tondo in the course of our interaction with civilians there…They have given valuable information to us (about other terrorists in Metro Manila) that we are now pursuing." Dolorfino said the eight have promised to get in touch with the remaining members of the sleeper cell and convince them to surrender also. But Dolorfino could not say if the 30 are still in the metropolis. “We’ll try to establish contact with them (30 remaining cell members)…Assuming they are still here, they (surrenderees) have promised us that they will help in convincing the others to surrender," he said. On the terms set by the eight before their surrender, Dolorfino said: “They would like to take advantage of the reconciliation program of the government, avail the Balik baril program and want to be given source of livelihood," he said. - GMANews.TV