Alleged Abu Sayyaf cohort village head nabbed in S. Philippines

A female village chieftain who allegedly aided the Abu Sayyaf bandit group (ASG) in the kidnapping of some foreigners was arrested in southern Philippine province of Sulu, military said Sunday.

The suspect was identified as Chairwoman Fauzia Abdulla of Niyog Sangahan village, Talipao, Sulu, who was nabbed Saturday by the joint members of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

A lower court had issued a warrant of arrest against Abdulla for her alleged involvement in the abduction of Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor from a resort in Samal Island in southern province of Davao del Norte in September 2015.

The Abu Sayyaf kept the four victims in Sulu. Ridsdel and Hall were later beheaded separately after failing to pay ransom, while Flor and Sekkingstad were released in June and September this year, respectively.

"The village Chair was reportedly coddling ASG members by providing sanctuary, information network and food, and most often involved in managing and providing leadership especially in decision making inside the ASG," the miltiary said.

The Abu Sayyaf, formed in the early 1990s, is a local militant group involved in high-profile kidnapping of foreigners and Filipinos. They are still holding around 14 foreign and Filipino hostages in Sulu. Enditem