Abu Sayyaf member arrested in Malate — police

An Abu Sayyaf member with a bounty for his capture was arrested in Metro Manila on Sunday, a police official said. Asdatul Sahirun, who also uses the names Abu Nawas and Kirih Hamid Sahirun, was arrested at Robinson’s Place in Malate at about 11:40 a.m., according to Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP). Sahirun was listed in the government monetary reward list with a P3.3 million bounty for his neutralization, the police official said. Cruz said Sahirun was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Leo Jay Principe of the Isabela Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Basilan province for nine counts of murder and four counts of frustrated murder. “Initial investigation reveals that the subject is in Metro Manila to evade arrest in Mindanao but PNP operatives were able to track his whereabouts," said Cruz in a text message. The suspect was brought to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City after his arrest. “Subject has been lying low for a time moving form one place to another," Cruz said. The al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf has been largely blamed for the spate of bombing and kidnapping incidents not only in southern Philippines, but also in Metro Manila. Philippine security officials are on alert for possible retaliatory attacks of supporters of slain international terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. — Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News