Southern Police District (SPD) operatives have arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) another suspected member of Abu Sayyaf Group wanted for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a Jehovah’s Witness devotee in 2002 amid the so-called Lamitan siege.
SPD director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg identified the suspect as Omar Bin Harun, alias Airola, 52, a security guard and resident of Barangay Kasanyangan, Zamboanga City.
The SPD received information that one alias Airola-Adjustable was scheduled to arrive at the NAIA Terminal 2 around 5 p.m. Tuesday from Malaysia via Philippine Airlines flight. The suspect was using a Malaysian passport under the name of Omar Bin Harun.
Armed with an arrest warrant, the SPD men with help from personnel of Bureau of Immigration, Aviation Security Group, and the NAIA Airport Police apprehended the suspect upon his arrival.
Immigration officials said the suspect used the Malaysian passport in an attempt to conceal his identity. They said Omar Bin Harun, also known as Ariola-Adjustable, is listed in the Terrorism Screening Center (TSC) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation “thus the service of warrant of arrest has been delayed, needing the lifting of exclusion from the Office of the Commissioner BID (Bureau of Immigration and Deportation).”
The standing warrant of arrest against Harun was issued by Judge Toribio Ilao Jr. of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266 on Nov. 5, 2009 for kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom. No bail was recommended for Harun’s temporary liberty.
A victim positively identified the suspect as one of her abductors in August 2002.
Harun was the fourth member of the ASG under the leadership of Radullan Sahiron to be arrested by the SPD.
Nabbed earlier were suspected ASG members Taupik Galbun Gaffar alias Pa Wahid, Saik Galbun alias Pa Tanda, and Dumayag Alih Fahad alias Abu Cola, who were collared in Taguig City in July 2021 and February of this year.
Macaraeg commended his men, the Immigration, NAIA, and Aviation policemen for the job well done.
He said the SPD is now in coordination with other law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and intelligence gathering to determine the reason of the suspect’s return to the country “considering he is a fugitive wanted by law.”
