July 4, 2001, The Philippine Star, Two Sayyaf drug couriers nabbed,

The Abu Sayyaf is apparently diversifying. Apart from ransom kidnapping, the bandit group is now also suspected of drug trafficking.

Airport authorities in Manila arrested the other day two suspected Abu Sayyaf drug couriers while about to leave for Cebu City with 3.2 kilos of shabu worth P6 million concealed in two suitcases containing curtain sheets and malong cloth.

Chief Superintendent Marcelo Ele Jr. of the Aviation Security Group (ASG) identified the suspects as Freddie Sultan, 35, and Andy Sultan, 15, both of Marawi City.

Police said in a statement that the suspects were apparently part of an operation in which Abu Sayyaf allies in Cebu tuned over money to contacts in Manila to buy illegal drugs.

"Profits from the drug sales were used to buy firearms, ammunition and supplies for the Abu Sayyaf," police said.

The statement did not say how the police discovered the alleged connection between the Abu Sayyaf and drug traffickers.

Ele said the Sultans were about to depart for Cebu City on Philippine Airlines flight PR 855 at about 6:30 p.m. Monday when intercepted by elements of the ASG led by Superintendent Efren Labiag and Chief Inspector Alex Bonoan.

The suspects were presented to the media by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina.

"This goes to show that we are not going to stop until criminals are placed behind bars. The PNP under my watch will continue its intensified campaign against criminality," Mendoza said.

For his part, Lina lauded the PNP for another major score against illegal drugs.

The suspects claimed they were merely tasked to picked up the contraband and bring them to Cebu City where a connection would take it to Marawi.

Meanwhile, the military uncovered a plan by Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya to flee the country with his family.

Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said Sabaya has tapped the services of a relative identified only as Hassan, to facilitate the processing of his passport, along with those for members of his family.

Adan said Hassan has maintains a close contact with an employee of the Department of Foreign Affairs identified only as Usman.

Adan said the government will do everything to block Sabaya's escape attempt.

After transporting his family to other countries, Sabaya allegedly plans to come back to the Philippines and acquire more firepower for his group. -- Christina Mendez, Rudy Santos, Jaime Laude