FBI Takes DNA Of Slain Sayyaf Terrorists In Southern Philippines

The bodies of slain Abu Sayyaf terrorists Anni and Iting Sailani in Basilan island in the southern Philippines, where the two brothers are killed in clash with Filipino soldiers on Wednesday, June 20, 2007. The two brothers were implicated in many killings of soldiers and policemen in the troubled South, including a Catholic bishop Benjamin de Jesus in 1997 and a news photographer Gene Boyd Lumawag in 2004 in Jolo island. (Caption by the Mindanao Examiner/Photo by Philippines 1st Marine Brigade)

BASILAN ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 21 Jun) – Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday took DNA samples from the bodies of two slain Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the southern Philippine island of Basilan, the military said.

Soldiers killed brothers Anni and Iting Sailani in a clash on Wednesday in the town of Sumisip. The son of Iting Sailani was also wounded in the clash, but it was unclear whether he is also a member of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

The military said FBI agents took DNA samples to determine whether the bodies really belong to the notorious Sailani brothers, blamed by authorities for the killings of soldiers and policemen in Basilan and Jolo island and also for similar assassinations in Zamboanga City.

The two men were also implicated in the killing in 1997 of a Roman Catholic bishop Benjamin de Jesus and a news photographer Gene Boyd Lumawag in 2004 in Jolo island.

Civilian informants led soldiers to the brothers’ hideout near a river in Baiwas village and clashed with the men. The two brothers, included in the Philippines most wanted terrorists, were arrested in 2002, but had escaped from a police detention in Manila after disguising as Muslim women covered in burqa.

The Filipino government offered six million pesos rewards for the capture of the two brothers dead or alive and were also on the U.S. wanted list.(With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Abu Sayyaf Assassins Killed In Clash In Southern Philippines

Photos of the two Sailani brothers, Anni and Iting, who were killed in a clash in Basilan island in the southern Philippines. The two men were implicated in the spate of terrorism and killings of soldiers and policemam, including a news photographer, in the restive Jolo island. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 21 Jun) – Philippine soldiers gunned down two notorious Abu Sayyaf assassins long wanted by authorities for the spate of killings and terrorism in the troubled southern region, officials said on Thursday.

Officials said soldiers, aided by civilian informants, stormed an Abu Sayyaf hideout and killed brothers Anni and Iting Sailani in a clash Wednesday afternoon in Basilan island. A son of Iting Sailani was also wounded in the fighting.

“The two brothers were ruthless killers. They were behind the spate of killings of soldiers and policemen and even a journalist,” a regional army spokesman, Major Eugene Batara, told the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

The brothers were implicated in dozens of killings, including the murder of news photographer Gene Boyd Lumawag, who was shot in the head by a lone sniper on November 12, 2004 while on assignment for the local news agency Mindanews on Jolo island.

The Filipino government offered six million pesos rewards for their capture dead or alive.

Aged 26, Lumawag was preparing a report on Aid al-Fitr, the Muslim festivity that marks the end of Ramadan. He was hit by a 45mm bullet in the forehead as he was heading towards the pier in the town of Jolo to photograph the sunset, according to the media watch group, Reporters Without Borders.

Lumawag was one of dozens of reporters murdered and wounded in line of duty in the Philippines, tagged as the most dangerous place for journalist after Iraq. (Mindanao Examiner)

Sayyaf Behind Jolo Kidnapping: Military

Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo shows photographs of two Abu Sayyaf kidnappers, brothers Anni and Iting Sailani. And the freed hostages, from top, Romeo Rivera, Isidro Amoramo, Larry Bautista and Reynaldo Rubio. (Mindanao Examiner/Uly Israel)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Uly Israel / 21 Oct) – The Philippine military on Saturday tagged the Abu Sayyaf group as behind the kidnapping of a US aid worker and three other Filipinos in the troubled island of Jolo.

The four hostages were recovered by troops on a village in Parang town on Friday and were brought to Zamboanga City where military doctors examined them.

The victims, engineers Romeo Rivera, a program manager working for the United States Agency for International Development-Growth with Equity in Mindanao (USAID-GEM); and Reynaldo Rubio and Larry Bautista, of the Manila-based Terra Zyme Chemicals; and their driver, Isidro Amaramo were kidnapped Tuesday while inspecting a Washington-funded road project in the town.

Philippine Army Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo identified three kidnappers as brothers Anni and Iting Sailani and Bong Iskandal.

“Three of their captors were positively identified as members of the Abu Sayyaf Group’s Urban Terror Group based from the pictures presented to the victims as: Bong Iskandal, Anni Sailani and Iting Sailani,” Cedo said at a news conference where the four freed hostages told their ordeals.

Colonel Reynaldo Sealana, commander of an army brigade on Jolo island, said the four had been freed without ransom. “The kidnappers freed the hostages without ransom because of mounting military pressure,” Sealana said.

He said the kidnappers freed the hostages before a 24-hour military ultimatum for their release was to end on Friday. He said villagers angered by the incident also threatened to seize the families and relatives of the kidnappers if they don’t free the four men.

But the regional police chief Joel Goltiao told reporters that the four had escaped from their captors late Wednesday. “They were able to escape from their captor; that is what they told the police,” Goltiao said.

One of the freed victim said the kidnappers demanded at least P30 million ransoms in exchange for their freedom.

“The kidnappers asked P20 million from me and my companion and another P10 million from Rivera,” Rubio said.

He said the kidnappers did not harm them and said they only wanted money. “We were not harmed,” he said. “I knew the risk when we went to Jolo and I also know that there are more good people on the island. I still have trust on them,” he said.

Rubio said his captors took his ATM (automated teller machine) card and was able to withdraw about P60,000 from a bank in Jolo island. “I was told about it by the bank,” he said.

Despite the kidnapping, Rivera said he will return to Jolo island to finish the stalled road project.

“I will return to Jolo despite what had happened. I will return to continue the work that will benefit a lot of Muslims,” said Rivera, who nearly broke into tears while telling their ordeal in the hands of their captors.

His companion, Bautista, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said his ordeal has made him closer to God.

“The experience made me closer to God. My ordeal has made my faith in God stronger,” he said.

The military said troops were pursuing the kidnappers, who had been implicated in the spate of killings of soldiers and civilians, including Filipino news photographer Gene Boyd Lumawag two years ago, on Jolo island, about 950 km south of Manila. (Mindanao Examiner)