Sayyaf man involved in high-profile kidnappings falls

An Abu Sayyaf member involved in a number of notorious kidnappings in the southern Philippines, including the abduction of mostly-European tourists in Malaysia’s Sipadan Island resort, and a Muslim convert American Jeffrey Schilling in Sulu in 2000, fell into police hands over the weekend. Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa on Thursday said Mujibar Alih Amon, 26, was collared by the PNP Intelligence Group and Special Action Force in Barangay Buansa in Indanan town in Sulu. PNP records show that Amon – having aliases Bongbong, Khatab, Pappong, and Appong – is an active member of the Abu Sayyaf’s Urban Terrorist Group (UTG) and a logistics officer of the bandit group’s leader Radullan Sahiron. Amon was arrested by virtue of a standing arrest warrant issued by Judge Toribio Ilao of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266 for six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom. "We are very grateful that a civilian informant provided vital information that led to the arrest of this wanted terrorist suspect," said Verzosa. The informant has already been rewarded with P600,000, the bounty offered by the Department of Interior and Local Government in April 2009 for Amon’s arrest. Verzosa said Amon is already in Manila to undergo "procedural processing" before being presented to court. String of crimes Amon became most notorious for his part in the abduction of Schilling in Luuk town in Sulu in August 2000. The American was released eight months later. Before the Schilling kidnapping, Amon also figured in the snatching of 21 people – 19 foreigners and two Filipinos – from a dive resort in Sipadan, Malaysia, on April 23, 2000. The bandit was supposedly one of those who received the P500,000 ransom for the release of kidnap victim Marilyn Chu, who was held hostage in Patikul, Sulu, in October 2001. The latest kidnapping incident he was involved in was the August 2002, when six members of the Jehova's Witnesses and their Muslim guide in Patikul were abducted. Police records also showed Amon having a hand in the December 3, 2003 explosion along the Airport Road in Jolo, Sulu, that killed two military bomb experts. - Mark Merueñas/LBG, GMANews.TV