December 29, 2003, The Philippine Star, Sayyaf leader captured,
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December 29, 2003, The Philippine Star, Sayyaf leader captured,
A top Abu Sayyaf commander carrying a P1-million bounty on his head was captured Saturday by the military during a raid on his hideout in Zamboanga City.
Mohammad Said, reportedly a henchman of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, was arrested in Barangay Recodo on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by the Basilan regional trial court, said Col. Daniel Casabar, commander of "Task Force Zamboanga."
Said was captured by a task force from the Army Scout Rangers and military intelligence agents in the morning of Dec. 27. Said used the alias Kaiser Said.
Last Dec. 7, troops captured Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot, who led an Abu Sayyaf band in snatching 21 mostly European tourists from an island resort off Sabah on Easter Sunday in 2000.
The hostages were held in the jungles of Sulu for almost six months before they were freed in batches after Libya and some of their governments reportedly paid millions of dollars in ransom.
After his arrest, the 36-year-old Andang was taken to a military hospital at Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City and was later flown to Manila on a military transport plane under heavy security.
Andang was confined at V. Luna military hospital in Quezon City, where doctors have amputated his left leg.
Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said a major artery in Andang’s left leg had been severed and the limb was removed above the knee after gangrene had set in.
"There was no recourse but to amputate it to save his life," he said.
Col. Rafael Regino, Armed Forces surgeon general, said Andang did not object to the operation to cut off his left leg.
"When he woke up, Robot thanked me," he said.
"I think he gladly received (the outcome of the operation)," which took almost two hours to perform.
Regino said the government can provide Andang an artificial wooden leg made of yakal, and that his amputated leg will be used for laboratory and pathological tests.
Roughly, the government has spent around P50,000 to P1 million for Andang's hospitalization, he added.
On the other hand, Brig. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, commander of the Army's 103rd Infantry Brigade, said even before the arrest of Andang, troops have been tracking down Hapilon and Abu Sayyaf commander Hamsiraji Sali alias Commander Jose Ramirez.
Sali was reportedly wounded when troops chanced upon the bandit leader in Upper Kumalarang near the border of Lantawan town, Basilan.
Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano, commander of the Army's 601st Infantry Brigade, said troops backed by intelligence units have also been looking for Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafi Janjalani in Central Mindanao.
Janjalani was last monitored in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat, he added. –Christina Mendez
Mohammad Said, reportedly a henchman of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, was arrested in Barangay Recodo on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by the Basilan regional trial court, said Col. Daniel Casabar, commander of "Task Force Zamboanga."
Said was captured by a task force from the Army Scout Rangers and military intelligence agents in the morning of Dec. 27. Said used the alias Kaiser Said.
Last Dec. 7, troops captured Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot, who led an Abu Sayyaf band in snatching 21 mostly European tourists from an island resort off Sabah on Easter Sunday in 2000.
The hostages were held in the jungles of Sulu for almost six months before they were freed in batches after Libya and some of their governments reportedly paid millions of dollars in ransom.
After his arrest, the 36-year-old Andang was taken to a military hospital at Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City and was later flown to Manila on a military transport plane under heavy security.
Andang was confined at V. Luna military hospital in Quezon City, where doctors have amputated his left leg.
Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said a major artery in Andang’s left leg had been severed and the limb was removed above the knee after gangrene had set in.
"There was no recourse but to amputate it to save his life," he said.
Col. Rafael Regino, Armed Forces surgeon general, said Andang did not object to the operation to cut off his left leg.
"When he woke up, Robot thanked me," he said.
"I think he gladly received (the outcome of the operation)," which took almost two hours to perform.
Regino said the government can provide Andang an artificial wooden leg made of yakal, and that his amputated leg will be used for laboratory and pathological tests.
Roughly, the government has spent around P50,000 to P1 million for Andang's hospitalization, he added.
On the other hand, Brig. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, commander of the Army's 103rd Infantry Brigade, said even before the arrest of Andang, troops have been tracking down Hapilon and Abu Sayyaf commander Hamsiraji Sali alias Commander Jose Ramirez.
Sali was reportedly wounded when troops chanced upon the bandit leader in Upper Kumalarang near the border of Lantawan town, Basilan.
Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano, commander of the Army's 601st Infantry Brigade, said troops backed by intelligence units have also been looking for Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafi Janjalani in Central Mindanao.
Janjalani was last monitored in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat, he added. –Christina Mendez
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