BASILAN PROVINCE – A notorious Abu Sayyaf militant long wanted by authorities for ransom kidnappings and killings has been arrested by security forces in the restive province of Basilan in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, police said Friday.
Police said Esmael Kawa alias Abu Esmael was nabbed in the village of Lumbang in Isabela City and immediately transported to Zamboanga City where he is being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
CIDG Director Benjamin Magalong said Kawa was involved in the kidnapping of 15 workers of the Golden Harvest Plantation in Lantawan town in 2001 where most of the hostages were brutally killed.
He said the capture of Kawa was a joint operation between the police and military forces. Superintendent Luisito Magnaye, of the CIDG, led the police team in the operation. (Mindanao Examiner)
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