EXPLOSIVES. Troops seized an M16 rifle with ammunition, explosives, and bomb-making materials as they arrested the wives of an Abu Sayyaf Group leader in a raid in Isabela City, Basilan province on Thursday evening (June 15, 2023). The raiding team was armed with a search warrant issued by a court in Isabela City when they raided the ASG safe house. (Photo courtesy of JTF-Basilan)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have seized a high-powered firearm with ammunition, explosives, and bomb-making materials as they arrested the wives of an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader in a raid in Basilan province, a top military official said Friday.
Col. Frederick Sales, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Basilan acting commander, said a joint military-police team, armed with a search warrant issued by the court, raided the residence of Julhaur Lasigan Bayali in Barangay Lower Lanote, Isabela City, Basilan around 11 p.m. Thursday.
Sales said Julhaur was not at his residence which also serves as the terrorist group’s safe house except for the two wives of Basilan-based ASG leader Pasil Bayali.
Arrested during the raid were Marilyn Lasigan Bayali, 46, and Madarang Jahirul Bayali, 44, first and second wives of Pasil, and Nurmina Janatul, 20, wife of a former ASG member identified only as Mudzfar.
Seized from the ASG safe house were an M16 rifle with ammunition, four pipe bombs, and bomb-making components that included two 81-mm mortar ammunition, one of which was rigged with concrete nails and a mobile phone as trigger mechanism.
“Your armed forces will not stop supporting our partners from the police and other law enforcement agencies in suppressing criminality in Western and Central Mindanao,” Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, commander of Western Mindanao Command said as he commended the troops for the successful operation.
On June 6, troops rescued an Indonesian teenager as they seized an encampment of Pasil following a firefight in Sitio Lobloban, Barangay Guiong, Sumisip, Basilan.
Sulu-based ASG subleader Mudzrimar Sawadjaan brought along the Indonesian teenager when he fled to Basilan to evade the relentless military operations against them. (PNA)
