March 20, 2007, Inquirer, Arrested Abu Sayyaf is a protected witness, says prosecutor, by Julie Alipala,

March 20, 2007, Inquirer, Arrested Abu Sayyaf is a protected witness, says prosecutor, by Julie Alipala,
Mindanao Bureau

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- The Abu Sayyaf member, who was arrested by police authorities in Basilan last week, is actually under the government's witness protection program, according to Western Mindanao regional prosecutor Ricardo Cabaron.

Cabaron said on Tuesday that Omar Opik Lasal had been receiving P6,000 in monthly allowance from the Department of Justice (DoJ). "The DoJ is still honoring Lasal under the Witness Protection Program," he said.

Lasal was arrested in early 2003 and was held in Camp Crame along with several other suspected terrorists.

On July 14, 2003, he escaped with Indonesian terror suspect Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi and Abu Sayyaf bomb expert Omar Edris.

When he was recaptured a few months later, he pledged to collaborate with the government's anti-terror drive.

He became instrumental in the death of al-Ghozi.

Cabaron also said that Lasal was not Merang Abante, as what the police had been claiming.

Abante, who carries a P2-million bounty on his head, and Lasal are cousins, according to Cabaron.

Cabaron told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net, that a former kidnap victim, Dr. Nilo Barandino, said Lasal was not Abante.

"According to Barandino, Merang Abante has a scar on his left arm, but the person they arrested last Friday doesn't have any scar on his arms," Cabaron said.

Senior Superintendent Manuel Barcena, Zamboanga City police chief, said they were positive that Lasal was the Abante they had been hunting down.

He said they coordinated with the Basilan police "when the suspect was positively identified roaming in Basilan."

"We arrested him by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Carlito Eisma of Branch 13, RTC 9 Zamboanga City and this Merang Abante is facing charges of kidnapping with ransom pertaining to the kidnapping of the Barandino family," Barcena said.

Barcena also said "the witness protection is not my concern."