www.rsis.edu.sg 03 November 25 – – 31 09 August November 2014 2014 Country Weekly Report of International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research PHILIPPINES Terrorism Gunmen believed to be linked to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) are believed to have been behind the killing of SPO4 Ruben Sabado, assigned to Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office, and the subsequent theft of his motorcycle and .45 calibre pistol on 02 November 2014. A raid by police on the suspects’ location on 04 November 2014 in Barangay Laguinding led to the recovery of several dismantled stolen motorcycles. The suspects managed to escape during the raid. The vehicle theft ring is believed to be seizing motorcycles for the use of the BIFM.1 On 04 November 2014, the Philippines military reported that two Army soldiers were killed while another one was wounded in two separate encounters with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at Little Baguio, Barangay Payapag in Bacuag, Surigao del Norte. Regional Army spokesman Maj. Christian C. Uy said the rebels belong to the Guerilla-Front Committee 16 of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), and that a few days before the clashes, the 30th Infantry Battalion had received reports about the presence of at least 30 heavily armed NPA rebels allegedly extorting money and foods from the villagers. Pfc. Jary Ar G. Escaret was killed during the first firefight on the morning of 02 November, while Pfc. Webster P. Branzuela died and another government trooper was slightly wounded in a second encounter later that day.2 A 25 million peso ransom amount allegedly paid for the release of two German hostages was shown in a video posted on facebook early in the week. The video, which was removed by facebook on 05 November 2014, showed claimed Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Rami and other group members standing in front of stacks of pesos, sparking alarm that if the money shown is genuine, it could lead to the Abu Sayyaf group being able to expand its arsenal and membership.3 Allegations of poor management have also moved around social media, with commentors alleging collusion between government officials, security authorities and the Abu Sayyaf Group. Commentators have said that the money will ultimately go back to the government as the Abu Sayyaf buys guns from the military. 1 “Cop’s killers hunted”, Tempo, 04 November 2014, http://www.tempo.com.ph/2014/11/cops-killers- hunted/#.VGBWsldIU1I 2 “2 soldiers die in Surigao clashes”, Tempo, 05 November 2014, http://www.tempo.com.ph/2014/11/2-soldiers- die-in-surigao-clashes/#.VGBWu1dIU1I 3 “AFP alarmed at Abu Sayyaf’s ransom showcase”, GMANetwork, 06 November 2014, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/386827/news/nation/afp-alarmed-at-abu-sayyaf-s-ransom-showcase Nanyang Technological University Block S4, Level B4, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 Tel: +65 6790 6982 | Fax: +65 6794 0617 | www.rsis.edu.sg Another victim of the Abu Sayyaf, 18-year-old Li Pei Zhei, a Chinese National, was also released on 04 November, just under two months from his kidnapping on 11 September 2014. Li is believed to have been held in Basilan province, and it is likely a ransom was paid for his release, although as per Philippines policy, no comment about a ransom payment has been given.4 Joel Maturan, fomer mayor of Ungkaya Pukan, said the number of Abu Sayyaf Group members in the province has been increasing in the past few months, as the terrorist group's recruitment of new members intensified. According to Maturan, the Abu Sayyaf has been offering money to the families of new recruits, as well as a P15,000 monthly allowance. He also alleged that the group has been receiving financial support from an Islamist group in the Middle east, and that two foreign terrorists, a Malaysian and an Indonesian, are helping Abu Sayyaf to train its new members.5 Counter-terrorism Kidnap charges have been filed against five Abu Sayyaf members after two freed German hostages were able to identify their kidnappers. The cases against Abu Rami alias “Amir,” Mundi Sawadjaan alias “Mon,” Mudjappar Sawadjaan alias “Longhair,” Yusop Jalmaan alias “Yusofas Job,” and Roger Saji alias “Abu Jannah” were filed with the Department of Justice on 29 October 2014, and published on 05 November 2014.6 Local leaders in Basilan Province have jointly called for an “all out war” on the Abu Sayyaf Group, reportedly flush with a recent injection of up to 250 million pesos in ransom money. All 12 mayors of towns in Basilan took the stand days after Mujiv Hataman, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), recommended the all-out war campaign against the Abu Sayyaf. In a manifesto signed on Nov. 5, the mayors condemned recent atrocities committed by the Abu Sayyaf in the province, including the ambush that killed five soldiers and a junior officer in Sumisip town.7 After the manifesto was published, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang visited Basilan on 07 November 2014 and assessed troops' operations against the Abu Sayyaf. He also later met with Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman and the mayors of the province who presented their manifesto of support for the campaign against the militants. Gen. Catapang said that operations against the Abu Sayyaf would take place around the clock, and would include the establishment of checkpoints along roads in key areas.8 In Sulu, the military also continued its offensive against the Abu Sayyaf. On 07 November 2014, a night attack focused on the suspected hideouts of Abu Sayyaf subcommander Jul Mundi Asman Sawadjaan, a certain Commander Ikit and bandit group chieftain Radullan Sahiron at Sitio Datag Kan Masarin, Barangay Buhanginan in Patikul was carried out by helicopter gunships. Col. Allan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu (JTGS) 4 “Abu Sayyaf frees Chinese teener”, Manila Sandard Today, 06 November 2014, http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/11/06/abu-sayyaf-frees-chinese-teener/ 5 “Abu Sayyaf gives P15K monthly to teen recruits, says ex-mayor”, ABS-CBN News, 05 November 2014, http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/11/05/14/abu-sayyaf-gives-p15k-monthly-teen-recruits-says-ex- mayor 6 “Kidnap raps filed vs 5 Abu Sayyaf men for Germans’ abduction”, Inquirer.net, 05 November 2014, http://globalnation.inquirer.net/113987/kidnap-raps-filed-vs-5-abu-sayyaf-men-for-germans-abduction/ 7 “All-out war on Abu Sayyaf”, Asia One, 06 November 2014, http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/all-out-war- abu-sayyaf 8 “Round-the-clock offensive vs Abu Sayyaf launched”, Philstar.com, 07 November 2014, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/11/07/1389153/round-clock-offensive-vs-abu-sayyaf-launched Nanyang Technological University Block S4, Level B4, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 Tel: +65 6790 6982 | Fax: +65 6794 0617 | www.rsis.edu.sg commander, said “The three Abu Sayyaf groups of around 200 men were consolidating in the area when our attack helicopters hit them at about 9:30 p.m. The group of Sahiron, Ikit and Sawadjaan, according to Arrojado, were apparently plotting their escape plan from Patikul to Indanan when the air raid was launched.9 9 “AFP conducts night raid vs Abus”, Inquirer, 09 November 2014, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/11/09/1389635/afp-conducts-night-raid-vs-abus Nanyang Technological University Block S4, Level B4, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 Tel: +65 6790 6982 | Fax: +65 6794 0617 | www.rsis.edu.sg .