PNP chief: Abu Sayyaf men have long been roaming different parts of PHL

Amid reports that Abu Sayyaf men have been sighted in Cebu, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Tuesday that members of the terrorist group have long been roaming different parts of the country, even reaching Metro Manila.

“Matagal na silang nakakaikot, ngayon lang nag-leak yung information na namonitor namin na sila ay umiikot,” Dela Rosa said at a press conference before the start of a command conference with regional directors at the PNP headquarters.

“Actually yung mga Abu Sayyaf na yan, pag lalabas yan doon walang armas at solo solo na lakad. They can reach as far as Metro Manila kung tutuusin, let’s be frank about that,” he added.

Dela Rosa said they have been continuously monitoring the movements of Abu Sayyaf members.

"Minomonitor natin, binabantayan natin," he said when asked what they are doing to prevent Abu Sayyaf members from carrying out their plans.

Leaked to the public

When asked by Dela Rosa, Anti-Kidnapping Group director Senior Supt. Manolo Ozaeta said the information on the sightings of Abu Sayyaf should have not been leaked to the public.

“Dapat sir hindi lalabas yung information. Lumabas yung information na yun e we are still validating it kasi sinusundan pa lang ng mga bata natin sa Anti-Kidnapping Group,” he said. 

He was referring to a news report quoting Supt. Julian Entoma, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division of Region 7, as saying that six Abu Sayyaf members arrived in Cebu on Friday and left on Sunday.

Ozaeta said they have been following the Abu Sayyaf members who are now back in Zamboanga.

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, Region 7 director, said they also received information on the sighting of Abu Sayyaf members as early as Friday. 

“Actually that information is still for validation. We received information last Friday that may ilang allegedly members ng ASG na dumaan ng Cebu pero as of now walang confirmation. Hindi nagtagal, basta ang sabi from Dapitan to Negros Oriental, to Cebu and then umalis din sa area,” he said. 

The Directorate for Intelligence said they are helping monitor the Abu Sayyaf members.

“The information came from AKG, tumulong lang kami sa pagmonitor nung time na yun,” it said.

Dela Rosa expressed disappointment on the leak of the unvalidated information, saying the police officer who made it public will be reprimanded.

“Papagalitan namin yung source ng information na yan, sasabihin namin na huwag kayong basta basta magbigay, mag-leak ng information na hindi pa natin masyado na-validate,” he said. 

Abu Sayyaf in NCR

Recently, two suspected Abu Sayyaf members fell into government hands in Metro Manila.

On October 9, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group's Anti-Transnational Crime Unit (ATCU) arrested Amin Aklam, a Malaysian national suspected of being a member of the Abu Sayyaf.

He was included on the list of most wanted persons "affiliated with Abu Sayyaf" issued by the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Meanwhile, suspected Abu Sayyaf member Juraid Sahibbun was among those arrested in a raid in Culiat, Quezon City last September. 

Also in September, Dela Rosa revealed the presence of Abu Sayyaf members in Manila.

He made the revelation during the presentation of P6 million worth of high-powered firearms seized from a gun-running group in San Juan City.

The PNP chief said the firearms were bought by the Abu Sayyaf from the group. — RSJ, GMA News