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BY MAE SINGUAY
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Thursday, May 18, 2017
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BACOLOD City – A native of Basilan province was arrested in Silay City, Negros Occidental for allegedly training a firearm at a local.
Absner “Abu Rafi Ben” Kudarat, 29, claimed to be a nephew of an Abu Sayyaf Group leader.
Police were still trying to verify Kudarat’s claim and his possible link to the terrorist group.
Operatives from the Provincial Public Safety Company of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office arrested him and relative Saldy “Starring” Abebolah, 25.
Both natives of Isabela City, Basilan, they yielded two guns and several bullets.
They were hauled to the Silay City police station lockup cell and facing charges for violating firearms and ammunition regulation laws.
Around 5 p.m. on Monday, Silay City police received a call about two men training a .45-caliber pistol at a resident, said Senior Inspector Armilyn Vargas, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office 18.
Police officers were sent to Hacienda San Diego, Barangay E. Lopez, where the Basilan natives also live.
During interrogation, Kudarat claimed to be a nephew of an Abu Sayyaf leader but did not disclose who, Vargas said.
Kudarat further claimed to be a former Abu Sayyaf member himself but he surrendered to government forces and was “cleared” in 2004. He then moved to Negros Occidental and stayed with his live-in partner in Silay City, said Vargas.
Kudarat and Abebolah may be charged with violation of Republic Act (RA) 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and RA 9516, which amended provisions of Presidential Decree 1866.
A .45-caliber Colt Mark IV (serial number 748974) with a magazine loaded with six live bullets and a grenade were seized from Kudarat.
Abebolah, on the other hand, yielded a homemade .357-caliber revolver with 12 live bullets and an empty shell, police said.
Earlier Major General Jon Aying, 3rd Infantry Division commander of the Philippine Army, assured there were no more Abu Sayyaf fighters roaming the Visayas.
Government forces have killed the last two Abu Sayyaf stragglers who went to Bohol province during the Holy Week in Calape town, Aying told the local press on Tuesday.
The Negros police also gave an assurance that the island region is safe from the terror group. (With a report from Cyrus Garde/PN)
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