THE top leader of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, tagged as the mastermind behind several suicide bombings in Mindanao, was killed in a military operation in Basilan last Saturday night.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. announced yesterday the killing of Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, alias Mundi, and Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group terrorist group sub-leader Jalandoni Lucsadato, alias Lando, who was slain in another military operation in Lanao del Sur on Sunday morning.
“It is possible that what happened this morning was a retaliatory attack,” Brawner told a press conference.
The killing of the two terrorist leaders came days after the death of Daulah Maute leader Abdullah Sapal and 10 of his men in a clash with government troops in Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao del Sur last Friday.
Brawner said troops from the military’s Joint Task Force Orion launched last Saturday night the operation against Sawadjaan, who has reportedly masterminded several suicide bombings in Mindanao.
One of the suicide bombings occurred at the Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu in January 2019, an attack that left 21 people dead, including the Malaysian couple who blew themselves up.
“He was neutralized in that operation. If you recall, Sawadjaan was the mastermind of the Jolo bombing and other terrorist activities in Jolo and also in the area of Western Mindanao Command,” said Brawner. He did not provide more details.
AFP public affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said Sawadjaan was neutralized in the waters of Barangay Banah in Tipo-Tipo and Barangay Lahi-Lahi in Tuburan “while he was attempting to leave the island province.”
Yesterday morning, Brawner said troops from the Army’s 103rd Brigade also launched an operation in Piagapo, Lanao del Sur.
“This led to the death of DI-Maute sub-leader Jalandoni Macadaya Lucsadato, alias Lando,” said Brawner.
He said the operation also resulted in the capture of Lucsadto’s aunt, Saadia Datu Amni, who is also a member of the DI-Maute Group.
“We have heightened our operations in response to the directive of our President to end our problem on insurgency and local terrorists,” said Brawner.
“We were given until 31 December to achieve total victory against the NPA (New People’s Army) and local terrorists so we intensified our operations,” added Brawner.
Brawner said he reminded military commanders during a command conference last Friday to sustain military operations against all threat groups, even if the government has agreed to resume talks with the communists.
