Derailing ASEAN activities in Bohol among Abu Sayyaf's objectives —security expert

One of the three objectives of the Abu Sayyaf group in Bohol was to derail Association of Southeast Asian Nations events in the province, a security expert said Monday.

Security expert Rommel Banlaoi of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, Inc. said in a News To Go interview that the other two objectives of the Abu Sayyaf were to identify targets for kidnapping for ransom activities, which the military and the police had earlier divulged and to carry out terror attacks during the Holy Week.

Security forces killed six suspected Abu Sayyaf group members, including Muammar Askali alias Abu Rami, who arrived in the rural town of Inabanga by speedboats last week.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday assured that Bohol had been "well-fortified" following the detected presence of the Abu Sayyaf.

"Bohol might as well be considered a well-fortified and most secure place in the country right now despite the attack that killed three soldiers, a cop, and at least six of the armed men in the clashes that started at 5 a.m. on Tuesday," said DILG officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy.

He reiterated that the threat of the Abu Sayyaf in the province had been "contained."

He said that the ASEAN activities in Bohol, which will take place at the Hennan Resort in Panglao. These will be held from April 19 to 20, will push through as scheduled.

Before the clash in Bohol, the United States Embassy issued a travel advisory warning Americans against threats of kidnapping in Bohol, Cebu, and other Central Visayas provinces.

Several foreign embassies in the Philippines had also issued similar travel advisories.

Person of interest a terror leader

Authorities admitted that the group of Askali got help from a local, who is now being hunted down by police and military intelligence operatives.

Banlaoi said during the interview that the local, identified as Joselito Melloria, is actually a leader of the Ansar Khalifa Philippines (AKP) which has pledge allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

He said Melloria helped Askali's group set up in Inabanga town and was supposed to help them carry out the three objectives.

Banlaoi said Melloria was a sub-leader of the AKP and took over its leadership after the death of Jaafar Sabiwang Maguid, also known as "Tokboy."

Maguid was killed by security forces in Sarangani last January 5.

The security expert said Melloria, along with Askali, led one of the four "unified" battalions of local terrorists that proclaimed Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon as leader of the Islamic State in the Philippines.

He added that Melloria and Askali became acquianted with each other in Cebu, where the slain Abu Sayyaf sub-leader had studied.

"Naka-develop sila ng support network sa Bohol dahil si Abu Rami ay dati nang nag-aral sa Cebu. Sa cebu mayroon siyang (Abu Rami) na-develop na mga contacts doon na galing sa Balik-Islam movement," he said, adding that a "miniscule" part of the Balik-Islam movement had been radicalized.

Banlaoi said that it was still not clear how big was the Abu Sayyaf's clout in Bohol and other provinces in the Visayas, where there are also radicalized member of the Balik-Islam movement.

"Sa pagkakaalam ng aming grupo, ang Abu Sayyaf group at ang existing support networks nila from different armed groups particularly from Balik-Islam ay 'di lamang sa Bohol nag-o-operate kundi sa ibang bahagi ng Visayas: Leyte, Samar, Cebu at Negros provinces. —ALG, GMA News