One of the ways in which politicians have conspired with one another is to siphon off money from a series of boondoggles known as"Circumfrential Roads."As the name suggests these are paved,circular roads that are conceived in order to speed development in the nation's poorest areas.Here in Mindanao we have a Jolo Island Circumfrential Road Project in Sulu Province,a Lake Lanao Circumfrential Road Project in Lanao del Sur Province,a Lake Buluan Circumfrential Road Project in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces,and a Basilan Island CircuMfrential Road Project in that province of the same name.In the Basilan Project one of the many companies engaged in the project is Mace Construction,based on the island of Cebu in the Central Philippines,or Visayas Region.Mace is now handling the paving of a segment stretching from Barangay Buton in the municipality of Mohammad Ajul to Barangay Colonia in Lamitan City.
On June 3rd,2011 Engineer Virgilio Fernandez,a Cebu resident,finished his day's work at 3PM at the Mohammad Ajul portion of the segment and hurriedly jumped into the passenger seat of a mini-dump truck being driven by local employee Basir Dasta.Riding in the bed of the truck were 4 local labourers all hitching a ride to the company compound in the aforementioned Barangay Colonia in Lamitan City.Mr.Fernandez might have been thinking of a quiet evening spent relaxing at the small home he had been renting for much of the last year,since arriving on Basilan Island to undertake the project.
As the small truck crossed the border into Lamitan City's Barangay Bulanting the driver,Mr.Dasta,saw an impromptu checkpoint up ahead hastily composed of two offroad motorcycles placed in the middle of the road in Sitio Libi.Slamming on his brakes Dasta attenpted to slam the transmission into reverse but as he nervously struggled with the stck shift 1 of the 4 men standing by the checkpoint took his M16 and shot out his left front tire.The four gunmen then angrily rushed the truck,swung open the passenger side door and dragged Fernandez out of the truck's cab.Frog marching the terrified man over to the motorcycles and placed him on the back of one,behind its driver.Then Fernandez's co-workers watched in horror as a gunman got on behind Fernandez,sandwiching him tight.
Very quickly both motorcycles sped off into the adjacent town of Mohammad Ajul where they were last seen crossing into Barangay Caddayan's Sitio Panguew.As soon as the motorcycles were out of sight Basir Dasta slowly drove off on 3 good tires and made his way to the Lamitan City CPO,or City Police Office.After following standard protocols the officers on duty helped Dasta and the four labourers peruse intelligence photos in hopes of ascertaining the organisation and faction responsible.Before long two of the four gunmen were identified:
1) Musana Jamiri
2) Muhmin"Boy"Jamiri
both clansman of ASG,or Abu Sayyaf Group,factional leader Nurhussan Jamiri.The discovery came as no suprise because the Jamiri Faction has risen to control most of the KFR (Kidnap for Ransom) taking place on the island.The other ASG factional leader on the island,Puruji Indama,has gravitated from KFR into Extortion as his main source of funding.Jamiri meanwhile is holding Hilario"Larry"Tam de los Santos and Nico Sebastian as well as Mr.Fernandez.It is believed that 9 year old Randelle Talania was in Jamiri's custody but has been traded to the BIAF,or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,114 Base Command in exchange for weaponry and ammunition.
Of course there have been reports that Fernandez was able to escape as well as reports that the AFP"rescued"him,neither of which is true in the least.He was released and casually walked through al Barka before being reigned in by the aforementioned SCAA.
On June 19th,2011 at 9AM Mr.Fernandez was released by ASG in the municipality of al Barka's Barangay Magkawa after his employer paid a hefty ransom.As he walked passed a rubber plantation in Barangay Guintas and was sighted by an SCAA,or Special Civilian Active Auxiliary,who took him into custody.SCAA are 1 of 4 groups collectively known as CAA,or Civilian Active Auxiliaroes.Together they form the cornerstone of the AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Counterinsurgency Programme.The SCAA are the element funded by private businessmen,functioning as private militaries though obstensibly under moderate supervision of AFP Cadre Battalions,though the reality is often very different.
The SCAA then transported Mr.Fernandez to the nearest AFP position which in turn transported him to Firebase Valentine in Tipo Tipo for De-briefing.Afterwards he was taken to the Lamitan City CPO (City Police Office) where he was released to a representative of his employer.
On Wednesday,June 22nd,2011 Indian national Biju Kolara Veetil was relaxing in his inlaws' home in Sitio Kaban Kaban in the town of Patikul's Barangay Tempok on Jolo Island in Sulu Province.Getting ready for bed at 9PM he was engaging in small talk with his wife,Elena Ladjamuddin Aharadji.He and his wife,a Tausug Trubeswoman,had arrived in the Philippines from India on May 24th and planned on a quiet vacation with loved ones.Suddenly 4 ASG guerillas kicked in the front door and dragged a shocked Mr.Veetil from the home.As his wife's family watched Mr.Veetil was pushed at the end of an FN assault rifle uphill into Barangay Tugas' Sitio Luluban Manghak and into the night.
As the terrified Indian was being marched uphill the group met a larger group of ASG guerillas and so local villagers were able to ascertain that he was Kidnapped by the Jurim Hussin Faction.Members Ninok Sappari,Mamhi Samlahun,Almudjir Yadah,and Namir"Gapas"Aharadji were verified as on site as well.
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