Senior henchman of Basilan Abu Sayyaf leader arrested

COTABATO CITY --- Authorities arrested on Saturday in Maluso, Basilan a senior henchman of Abu Sayyaf leader Furudji Indama.Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares of the Regional Police Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said Sunday the 47-year-old Andaang Mataun San was cornered by agents in the town proper of Maluso after a month-long surveillance.The operation that resulted in the arrest of San was jointly carried out by combined personnel of the Maluso municipal police, the Basilan provincial police office, the Military Intelligence Group 9 and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.In a report to Mijares, the Basilan provincial police said San voluntarily turned himself in when he was shown a warrant for his arrest issued by Judge Leojay Principe of the Regional Trial Court in Basilan.San is wanted for a murder case, docketed 6487-3396, in the sala of Principle.Mijares said he is thankful to local officials in Maluso for helping the police locate San, a resident of Barangay Upper Mahayahay in the same town.San is known as one of the key henchmen of Indama, leader of a big Abu Sayyaf group in the island province of Basilan.Tausug and Yakan community elders confirmed on Sunday that San started as follower of an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader named Junaiver under Isnilon Hapilon, who was killed by pursuing soldiers in Marawi City in October 2017.San bolted from Hapilon’s group in 2015 and joined the Abu Sayyaf faction led by Indama.