Abu Sayyaf wives, widow nabbed in Philippines

The two are wives of a wanted Abu Sayyaf subleader.

BASILAN: Philippine security forces apprehended two wives of an Abu Sayyaf terror group (ASG) subleader during a joint law enforcement operation in the southern province of Basilan on Thursday (June 15).

Joint Task Force Basilan acting commander Col. Frederick Sales, in a statement Friday (June 16), said the military and police troops were enforcing a search warrant for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition at the house of a Julhaur Lasigan Bayali in Lower Lanote village, Isabela City.

Julhaur is an ASG member under the subleader, Pasil Bayali.

The operation resulted in the apprehension of Marilyn Lasigan Bayali, a.k.a. Nuray Fernandes, female, 46; Madarang Jahirul Bayali, a.k.a. Rashmiya Ordonez, 44, married; and Nurmina Janatul, a.k.a. Anisa, female, a 20-year-old widow.

Fernandes is the first wife of Pasil Bayali, Ordonez his third wife, while Anisa was the wife of the late Mudzfar, an ASG member.

The troops recovered from the house one Colt M16A1 rifle, one magazine for M16 rifle, five 5.56mm live ammunition, one complete 81mm mortar, one 81mm mortar with concrete nails taped around, a blasting cap with green and yellow leg wires, two linear charges, one access charge, one braided detonating cord, four G1 pipe, and one Samsung mobile phone.

“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," said the Western Mindanao Command chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, in the statement.

"I commend the troops of Joint Task Force Basilan and our police counterparts for this successful operation."