June 22, 2002, Inquirer News Service, Philippines Military: No doubt, Abu Sabaya dead - but body still missing, 0:29 AM, by  Julie S. Alipala, Hernan P. de la Cruz, and Martin P. Marfil 

ZAMBOANGA CITY - A three-engine speedboat that Abu Sayyaf spokesperson Abu Sabaya had used to seize American hostages in Palawan was the same boat that government forces used Friday to pursue and "kill" him off the coast of Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. 

The Philippine Navy recovered the speedboat last year in Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi, a transit point for the bandits who proceeded to Basilan from Puerto Princesa, Palawan, after seizing 20 hostages, including American couple Gracia and Martin Burnham. 

Maj. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, chief of the military's Southern Command, said he was sure that Sabaya was dead. 

"I don't have any doubt," Carolina said. "It's just a matter of getting his body from where it sank in Sibuco." 

Carolina made the declaration after American-trained Filipino soldiers clashed with seven armed men on board a speedboat at 4:20 a.m. Friday, a kilometer off the coast of Sibuco town. 

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes was more circumspect. "We cannot officially declare that (Sabaya is dead) because we haven't recovered the body," Reyes said. 

Two other bandits were killed and four captured. 

Killed were Ibno Hajar and Abu Musa. Captured were Abdurahman Ismael alias Abu Sahalin, Tommy Rahim alias Abu Nadim, Hassan Samsi alias Abu Ayub and Adzmar Aluk or Abu Adzmar. 

The death of Sabaya came 14 days after Scout Rangers clashed with Sabaya's group in Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte. American missionary Gracia Burnham, who suffered a gunshot wound in the thigh, was rescued but her husband Martin and Filipino nurse Edibora Yap died in the firefight. 

The Abu Sayyaf seized the Burnhams from the Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan on May 27, 2001. 

Col. Juancho Sabban, commander of the Marines Forces South, said the captured bandits confirmed that they saw Sabaya fall dead into the water. 

At around 3:30 a.m., the Marines Reconnaissance Force and the Navy's Special Warfare Group (SWAG) saw a pumpboat "surreptitiously sailing" out of Barangay Parang-parang, a coastal village of Sibuco, according to Sabban. 

He said the government forces trailed the pumpboat, which was made of fiberglass, for about 45 minutes to ascertain the identities of its passengers. 

Black shirt

Using night vision goggles, the government forces "were able to establish that there were seven armed persons, including a man in black shirt, in the vessel so they came closer." 

Carolina said the pursuing troops were about 3 meters from the pumpboat when the armed men fired at them. 

The official manning the boat decided to ram the pumpboat. Carolina did not identify the official but the Inquirer learned that he was Marine Col. Ariel Querubin. The Abu Sayyaf pumpboat was reportedly powered by two "Mega" engines. 

"The armed men were thrown out of their vessel," Carolina said. 

Four of those who were thrown out of the pumpboat were fished out of the water alive. They reportedly confirmed during interrogation that they belonged to Sabaya's group and that the bandit leader was among those who fell dead into the sea.

But Reyes said the captured bandits had told the military that Sabaya and two others were hit and jumped overboard. 

"The four confirmed that the three were with them. They were hit, they jumped overboard, so we are trying to recover them," Reyes said. "Chances are they are killed but we haven't recovered the bodies." 

"But the declarations of the four and the testimonies of the members of the SWAG, which engaged this group, point to the fact that they were shot and they jumped overboard," the defense secretary reiterated. 

Reyes also said that initial reports indicated that the "hits" against the three "might have been fatal" while National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said that a SWAG member confirmed that he hit a man wearing a black shirt. 

Sabaya was wearing a black shirt when the firefight started. 

Carolina said it was not easy to recover the bodies of Sabaya and those of the other slain bandits because the waters in the area where the encounter occurred were about 1,500 feet deep. 

Recovered from the scene of the encounter were two rifles, an M16 and an M14, a pair of sunglasses, a bonnet and a satellite phone, according to a source. Some of the recovered items were owned by Abu Sabaya. 

US role

Reyes said the operation was the product of cooperation between Filipino and American soldiers involved in Balikatan 02-1. 

But he said the combat operation was conducted entirely by Filipino soldiers. 

"This successful operation could be attributed to the joint efforts of the soldiers with the participation of the American forces and of course with the prayers of everybody," Reyes said. 

Maj. Richard Sater, a spokesperson for US forces conducting a counterterrorism training exercise aimed at helping local troops wipe out the Abu Sayyaf, called the report of Sabaya's death "a step forward in the war against terrorism." 

He said Americans provided unspecified support during the clash but were not directly involved in the fighting. 

"We're here to advise and assist. We helped out in that capacity this morning, providing some surveillance and communication, that sort of thing," Sater said. Asked if Americans were nearby, Sater said: "Yes, but I can't say how near." 

Some 1,000 Americans are training Filipino soldiers in Basilan and Zamboanga City. 

Carolina said Sabaya's death was one of the major accomplishments of the military's "Operation Daybreak." 

On June 7, soldiers pursuing Sabaya's group, which fled to Zamboanga del Norte from Basilan, clashed with the bandits at the Sipawa Complex in Sirawai town. 

During that encounter, four bandits and two hostages were killed. Sabaya and 10 other bandits managed to slip. Troops found Sabaya's sunglasses and backpack. 

Carolina said troops followed the Abu Sayyaf footprints to a coastal village. "We knew that for him to survive, he will make a run for the sea," he said. 

"Tracking showed that they were going southward crossing Barangay Piakan down to the river of Anongan. It was already positive that they were heading toward the coastline," Carolina said. 

This information prompted the Armed Forces to deploy the Marines and the Navy along the coastlines of the province, according to Carolina. 

Gen. Roy Cimatu, Armed Forces chief of staff, said Sabaya's death served as an inspiration to the military in stomping out the bandit group.

"Our soldiers were very, very happy and in high spirits. They even called their relatives and families informing them of their accomplishment," Cimatu said. 

Reyes said that was no cause for celebration yet. 

"I don't think we should start celebrating yet. The terrorist threat remains and we should always remain vigilant. The worse thing that can happen is when we become complacent and surprised when another terrorist attack occurs," Reyes said at a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo. 

Carolina said the purpose of "Operation Daybreak" had been served. 

But he quickly added that a similar operation was in the works. 

The military is planning "Oplan Rescuer" to neutralize Abu Sayyaf chief Khadaffy Janjalani, Isnilon Hapilon, Jainal Antel Sali Jr. alias Abu Sulaiman and Hamsiraji Sali. 

Sali holds three Indonesian hostages and is believed to be hiding in Barangay Lahing-lahing in Luuk, Sulu.