Basilan, Philippines, September 24, 2024 – Authorities arrested an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) member involved in the notorious 2000 Lamitan siege, ending a more than decade-long manhunt. The suspect, Mobin Kullin, who had a PHP600,000 bounty on his head, was apprehended in a joint police and military operation in Barangay Tabiawan, Isabela City, Basilan on Monday.
Police Brigadier General Bowenn Joey Masauding, director of the Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9), confirmed Kullin’s arrest. The suspect had been in hiding for years following his involvement in a series of high-profile kidnappings and terror activities linked to the ASG.
Kullin had an outstanding warrant for kidnapping and illegal detention, issued by a court in Isabela City in May 2002. He was one of the most wanted individuals under the joint order of the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, with a reward for his capture.
Kullin’s criminal history ties him to two of the ASG’s most infamous attacks: the Lamitan siege in 2000 and the Golden Harvest Plantation raid in Lantawan, Basilan, in 2001. During the plantation raid, 15 workers were kidnapped by ASG militants, five of whom were executed, while others either escaped or were rescued in military operations.
The Abu Sayyaf Group, a militant group based in the southern Philippines, has been responsible for numerous kidnappings, bombings, and other violent acts, often targeting foreign nationals and local civilians. The group is considered one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the Philippines, notorious for its brutal tactics, including beheadings.
Kullin was a member of the ASG faction led by top commanders Ustadz Kalah, Khadaffy Janjalani, and Isnilon Hapilon, who once terrorized the Lantawan region. Janjalani and Hapilon, both high-ranking ASG leaders, were killed in separate military operations over the years, weakening the group’s grip on Basilan.
Masauding emphasized the commitment of PRO-9 and partner agencies to capture individuals involved in terrorism and other criminal activities. Kullin is now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 9 for further processing and documentation.
The successful capture of Kullin is seen as a significant step in ongoing efforts to bring justice to the victims of ASG’s violence and curb the group’s ability to operate in the southern Philippines.
