Robot, Global, Kosovo killed as cops storm jail
By FERNAN MARASIGAN, Today Reporter
CLAUDETH MOCON, Today Correspondent
Employing what they described as shock and awe, elite police teams stormed on Tuesday the four-storey jail facility where Abu Sayyaf bandits held out since Monday and killed 22 detained bandits including three of their notorious leaders, and one police officer.
Then, after nearly two hours, Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes triumphantly announced, "The crisis is over!"
Police made their move after initial results of negotiations -- surrender after police granted all the demands of the hostage takers led by Alhamzer Manatad Limbong alias Kumander Kosovo, Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot, and Nadzmie Saabdullah alias Commander Global -- appeared to have been repudiated by the bandits when they refused to honor their commitment.
Among those killed were top bandit leaders Nadzmie Sabdullah also known as "Kumander Global," Galib Andang alias "Kumander Robot," Cair Abdulgaffar alias "Kumander Kossovo," and Hussein Abdul Gahi alias "Ka Lando," the chief spokesman of the group.
Six policemen were injured. Only three of them were immediately identified—Insp. Jose Modequillo, Senior Police Officer 3 Napoleon Cabrera, and Police Officer 2 Sandy Caoile.
A policeman was killed but not in the assault. PO1 Abel Ariolla was killed by Sputnik Gang member Edcel Piga, who is not involved in the hostage-taking, while Ariolla delivered the inmates’ lunch.
As this developed, President Arroyo said, "We shall ensure that this incident does not happen again. Secretary Reyes is directed to fully investigate this incident, sanction those responsible and fix up the jail system so that terrorists will be kept in permanently without the chance to do harm until freed by the courts if ever. The rule of law is supreme."
She added the law enforcers who risked life and safety in Bicutan "exemplify the best of the criminal justice system" and condoled with the families of those killed and wounded.
In an earlier press briefing, Reyes said there were 17 dead inmates but at that time clearing operations were continuing and the final toll was 22 dead Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Lakas Rep. Gerry Salapuddin of Basilan suggested the bandits might have wanted to die in a blaze of glory anyway because they knew they would be convicted later on because of the high-profile nature of their crimes.
He added, "In order not to inflame anger and hatred from among the Muslim community, I think it is important that there should be enlightening information promoted by the interior department on why the last ditch effort had to be undertaken."
At around 9:15 a.m., 64 policemen in eight teams of the elite Special Action Force, the Special Weapons and Tactics unit, and the Regional Special Action Unit started the assault with flash bangs as they stormed in through several openings.
Continuous exchange of gunfire was heard afterwards. The assault lasted for about an hour and 55 minutes. During clearing operations, sporadic gunfire were heard.
Reyes said that at one point policemen discovered an inmate inside the toilet at the first floor that they thought was dead but who suddenly opened fire. "That is why you still hear gunfire."
Reyes said most of those killed were on the first floor where most Abu Sayyaf members were detained including Kosovo, Robot and Ka Lando. Global was on the third floor.
Found in the debris were eight handguns of different calibers, two unexploded grenades, and Molotov bombs.
During the operation, smoke was seen billowing out of the fourth floor that Razon said was caused by Molotov bombs lobbed by the bandits. The fire was immediately contained by firemen on stand by at the detention center.
At the start of the assault, a young girl was seen being carried and rushed by a policeman to a waiting ambulance. Razon said she was suffocated by a tear gas. The girl reportedly lives in one of the stores in the camp.
After making sure the whole building was cleared and secured, the more than 400 inmates were taken out batch by batch, bodily searched, and stripped to make sure they are not hiding any weapons.
They were also doused with water with the firetrucks’ water canons to remove residue of the tear gas on their bodies.
Reyes said President Arroyo had been informed and that she had congratulated the operations and assault teams but lamented that many were killed.
When asked if the assault has the approval of the President, Reyes said "strategic decisions are made by the President."
He added there will be an investigation on the operation to find out the full details such as whether the dead were firing at the policemen.
Party-list Rep. Mujib Hataman of Anak Mindanao was saddened as he admitted that he and Gov. Parouk Hussin of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had hoped that the government will still give the bandits more time.
He claimed that slain Kumander Global was not involved in the escape try. He added that the police should answer for their action especially because of the big number of deaths.
Lakas Reps. Prospero Pichay of Surigao del Sur, and Marcelino Libanan of Eastern Samar said there should be clear accountability and sanctioning of negligence in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Liberal Party Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon of Muntinlupa City said, "The government should not have negotiated with these ASG members. When they attacked and killed the jail guards, they lost the moral ground to ask for what they were asking for."
Lakas Rep. Robert "Ace" Barbers of Surigao del Norte said the police should have launched the assault right after the group tried to escape. "That way, we could have minimized the casualty figure and spared those who did not take part on the attempted jailbreak."
But House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles said, "We congratulate the police success in the jail break in Taguig. The Abu Sayyaf forced the hand of our law enforcers, who had to do what is necessary to protect the State."
Sen. Ralph Recto called for the creation of a "Feliciano Commission-type independent body" to probe the Bicutan jail crisis and the state of Philippine jails as well. "With one jailbreak happening every 72 hours, it is time to find out why our jails are porous."
Recto said 123 inmates escaped from jails run by the BJMP in 2001, of which only 67 were recaptured, "or an alarming 50 percent success rate"
The number does not include escapees that year from prisons run by the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor). Under the Philippine penology system, detainees awaiting sentencing are kept in jails run by the BJMP, police, and provincial governments while sentenced individuals are sent to Bucor facilities.
The guard-to-detainee ratio on a per shift basis is 1:46, Recto said. One guard is assigned to escort four detainees to court hearings. On any given day, an average 5,723 detainees are in court.With J. Cadacio, M. Gonzalez