(Eagle News) — The Abu Sayyaf has beheaded a kidnapped soldier, a fellow Tausug, who had been helping the government in convincing the community in Sulu not to give support to the terrorist group, a Philippine army official confirmed on Sunday, April 23.
Hours after government troops killed three more members of the Islamic State-linked group in a clash elsewhere, the head of Sergeant Anni Siraji of the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion was found 50 meters away from his body in Patikul town in Sulu, Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said.
Sobejana’s remains were found around 3 p.m. Sunday, April 23. Sobejana said that it appeared Siraji was killed around three days ago as his body was already in a state of decomposition.
“Actually, based on our assessment, three days na eh, state of decomposition na ‘yung kanyang remains,” Sobejana said.
The soldier’s remains were found about 2.5 kilometers from where Siraji was kidnapped by members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) Thursday last week, April 20, in Barangay Isagasan, in Patikul.
Sobejana explained Siraji was not even a combatant, but was part of those working for peace. He said the Abu Sayyaf may have been hurt by the work being done by Siraji as he was able to convince the community not to give any support for the terrorist group.
“Itong tao ay gumagawa ng peace efforts. Hindi ito combatant eh. Ginagamit namin to engage the stakeholders dahil kapareho nilang Tausug, at nakikita nilang effective itong tao and he significantly contributed na magiging ‘yung community will not give support to ASG,” he said.
“Kaya nasasaktan ‘yung ASG dahil nawalan silang community support because of the effort nitong Staff Sergeant na hinuli nila at pinugutan nila eventually,” he explained.
Sobejana also said the ASG appeared to have been affected by the army’s continuous operations against them. The beheading was apparently done hastily while the ASG members were on the run.
“Hastily done dahil sa continuous operations namin,” he said. “Pinugutan nila tapos biglang alis… Talagang makikita mo very hasty ‘yung pagkakagawa, ibig sabihin they were running away from us.”
Siraji was abducted on Thursday, April 20, while the soldier was on his way to Barangay Igasan in Patikul.
Sobejana said the AFP condemns the barbaric acts committed by the Abu Sayyaf to their fellow Tausug.
“Kapareho nilang Tausug pero ginawa pa rin nila ‘yung karumaldumal na pagpugot,” said Sobejana.
Sobejana said Siraji was probably abducted and executed because of his involvement in peace initiatives in Sulu.
“Earlier on Sunday, the military said government troops had killed three more Abu Sayyaf militants on the resort island of Bohol where they were hiding after a failed attempt to kidnap tourists.
The military was pursuing two or three more militants still at large in Bohol, a long way to the north of their strongholds in the far south of the predominately Christian country.
“We have reports indicating that they were also wounded and running out of supplies,” Colonel Edgard Arevalo, chief of the military’s public affairs office, said.
A group of about 10 militants infiltrated Bohol this month. Western countries have issued travel warnings about visiting the island.
Six of them were killed in a clash on April 11 and one last week.
Among those killed was their leader, who had been involved in the kidnap and execution of Canadian and German nationals in recent months, the Philippine military has said.
The military has been struggling to wipe out Abu Sayyaf, which originally had Muslim separatist aims but now engages mostly in banditry and piracy.
The group has been holding more than two dozen captives, most of them Vietnamese sailors, who are easy prey for militants equipped with small, fast boats. (with a report from Reuters)
