Four suspected Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorists eliminated in Paranaque City

Security forces shot dead four suspected Islamic State (ISIS)-linked and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists in a joint police and military raid in Don Bosco, Paranaque City minutes past Friday midnight.

Police Major General Debold Sinas, regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), identified the suspects as Bensaudi Sali alias “Boy,” 37; his reported wife Merhama Abdul Sawari alias “Mheng,” around 40 to 45 years old; Rasmin Hussin alias “Boscon;” and Jamal Kalliming alias “Pando.”

According to Sinas, joint units from the NCRPO, Paranaque City police, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) tried to serve a search warrant at the house of Sali in Better Living Subdivision around 12:30 a.m. when they were met with gunfire.

Further, the suspects allegedly tried to lob a grenade at the police and military but it went off prematurely, Sinas said.

The security forces retaliated which eventually led to the killing of the suspects.

According to the NCRPO Chief, the operation stemmed from the intelligence information they received about the presence of a group of Dawlah Islamiyah acting as a financial conduit in Paranaque City beginning in November 2019.

Dawlah Islamiyah (Arabic for Islamic State) is a faction of the ASG that is affiliated with the ISIS. It is being headed by ASG sub-leader Hajan Sawadjaan.

“They were tagged as a financial conduit of Daesh-East Asia because of their established connection with Dawlah Islamiyah bomb expert and sub-leader Mundi Sawadjaan alias Abu Marwan,” Sinas said, referring to the nephew of Hajan.

The operation was covered with a warrant issued by Judge Noemi Balitaan, of the Paranaque City Regional Trial Court Branch 258, for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The incident also resulted in the wounding of Police Corporal Ehrol Gamboa, who is assigned at the regional Security Operations Group (RSOG) of the NCRPO.

He was hit in the leg and brought to a hospital in Taguig City for immediate treatment.

Source: Manila Bulletin