Suspect in beheading marines last July 2007 arrested in Zamboanga City

Miami
September 16, 2008
Story: Suspect in beheading marines last July 2007 arrested in Zamboanga City

An Abu Sayyaf member involved in ambush and beheading of marines last July 2007 was arrested in Zamboanga City last September 13, 2008, Saturday.

The suspect was identified as Abdulkab Balahim, alias Abas, 30, a native of Basilan was arrested at Masuhod Drive, Talon-Talon, Zamboanga City after disembarking from a pumpboat at arpund 11:00 am plying the Basilan to Zamboanga route.

Sr. Supt. Leonardo Espina, Chief of Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) said that during the tactical interrogation, Balahim admitted his participation in the ambush and beheading of the marines elements in Al-Barka, Basilan who were then in search for abducted Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi.

Fr. Bossi was abducted last June 10, 2007 Bossi was then approaching Barangay Bulawan, Zamboanga Sibugay onboard a motorcycle and was released July 9, 2007

Balahim was arrested by the combined operatives of PACER, Intelligence and Security Group of the Philippine Army and the 9th Regional Mobile group.

Balahim is facing nine counts of murder, and four counts of frustrated murder. He was arrested on the orders of Hon. Leo Jay Principe, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court 1 of Isabela City in Basilan.

Espina added that Balahim is one of the 128 in the arrest warrant issued by the Basilan court in relation to the Marines beheading incident.

Espina also said that they keep on monitoring Balahim movements prior to his arrest, and found out that Balahim is traveling in Malaysia from time to time via the country's southern backdoor using a Philippine passport under the name of Abas Haslin Awalun, and several identification documents under the name of Mawan B. Awalun. Balahim's passport indicates that the travel document was issued by the consular office in Kuala Lumpur.

But Espina said, on the visit of Balahim in Malaysia they did not monitor any meetings conducted with any members of Jemaah Islamiya. “Nothing special on his visit there,” Espina said.

The Department of Interior of Local Government (DILG) and Department of National Defense (DND) have offered reward of Php500,000 for any information that would lead to the arrest of Balahim. Espina said a group of informants will receive the reward.

This is not the first time that the PACER able to arrest one of the suspects in the beheading of Marines, only last January 19, 2008, Aramil Sulayman, 29, was arrested by police intelligence operatives and military security forces at noontime Saturday in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan.

Balahim was not presented to the media as what the PNP always do whenever they arrested any suspects for any crime because of the call of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on not to present any suspect because this is a violation of human rights and are still innocent until they are proven guilty.