August 25, 2002, The Philippine Star, Palace to show video of Sabaya killing, by Marichu Villanueva,

Abu Sabaya is presumed dead, but the tall tale that he is still alive refuses to die. 

Malacañang was considering borrowing from the United States video footage taken by its spy satellites of the June 21 gunbattle where Sabaya was killed to prove to the unbelieving Filipinos that the former Abu Sayyaf spokesman is dead. 

US President George W. Bush reportedly saw the June 21 military operation through the spy satellite. 

Irritated government authorities insist that Sabaya's bullet-pierced body was probably devoured by sharks infesting the waters off the coastal town of Sibuco in Zamboanga del Norte, where he fell overboard following the June 21 clash with the military. His remains have never been found. 

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said yesterday borrowing the video footage was an "option" for the Philippines to decisively quash speculations that Sabaya was never killed in the clash. The video footage is owned by the US government. 

Bunye said it might be "a good idea" to borrow the footage again so that it can be shown publicly "to remove all doubts." 

President Arroyo had seen the surveillance video showing the death of Sabaya in the clash before it was sent to the US for safekeeping. 

Bunye recalled the President describing the heat images shown in the video footage. "I just do not know the exact details, but these were corroborated by eyewitnesses on the ground... you can identify the figures in the images." 

He said the public has "to take the words" of Mrs. Arroyo. "She saw the actual footage, and we believe they were convincing enough to show that Abu Sabaya was indeed killed in that encounter." 

On Thursday, Fr. Cirilo Nacorda, the parish priest of Lamitan town in the Abu Sayyaf stronghold Basilan, claimed that Sabaya was still alive and was seen sighted several times in his lair. 

Nacorda, who had accused the military of conniving with Abu Sayyaf group, said it was a common knowledge in Basilan that Sabaya did not die during the June 21 clash. 

To this claim, Bunye said, "It is clear that somebody else told him Abu Sabaya is still allegedly alive. It is very clear he himself did not actually see him. This is second- or third-hand information." 

Bunye hurled again the challenge to those who say that Sabaya is still alive to show proof. 

He said one proof that might be acceptable to Malacañang is a close-up photograph of Sabaya holding yesterday's newspaper. 

Bunye reminded reporters that Sabaya, whose real name is Aldam Tilao, was "very fond" of being interviewed. His statement suggested that if he were alive, he would have made himself available to the media to discredit government claims on his death.

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes had junked Nacorda’s claims

On Friday, Bunye said, "Fr. Nacorda is free to present Abu Sabaya if he has Abu Sabaya in custody." 

Armed Forces chief Gen. Roy Cimatu, whose troops hunted down the Abu Sayyaf group during his days as Southern Command chief, was not surprised by Nacorda’s claims. 

He said they had anticipated rumors like this. "For the record, Sabaya is dead and he will never live again," he said. 

Cimatu disclosed that the military had earlier received information that Sabaya’s younger brother might surface to fool the public. 

Assurances from Mrs. Arroyo and the US military – which was then training Philippine forces in combating terrorism – failed to quell public skepticism on Sabaya’s reported death. — Marichu Villanueva