LAMITAN CITY, Basilan — The Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has issued a wanted notice for Saddam Siddik Kele, also known as “Dam,” who is facing murder and attempted murder charges, as military and police authorities intensify efforts to locate those responsible for a series of ambushes in Basilan that left an Army corporal dead and several soldiers and civilians wounded.
The wanted notice identifies Kele as the subject of a warrant of arrest dated July 15, 2025, issued by a Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Basilan. His last known address is Barangay Baimbing, Lamitan City.
WestMinCom urged anyone with information that could lead to Kele’s arrest to contact the 1101st Infantry Brigade through its hotlines at 0976-176-1080 and 0997-664-3779, or coordinate with the Basilan Provincial Police Office.
The public advisory comes amid heightened security operations following consecutive ambush incidents in the province, including the October 8 attack in Lamitan City that killed Corporal Elmer Lagmay of the Philippine Army’s 45th Infantry Battalion (45IB).
Authorities have linked the recent attacks to a group allegedly led by Kele, although the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the incidents remain subject to investigation.
Wanted notice follows deadly Lamitan ambush
On October 8, armed men reportedly positioned along a highway in Barangay Sabong, Lamitan City, opened fire on a military truck transporting soldiers who had departed from the city port and were heading to their battalion headquarters.
Lagmay later died while undergoing treatment at a military hospital at WestMinCom headquarters in Zamboanga City. Six other soldiers were reported wounded in the attack.
Two civilians—a father, Daniel Hajim Onton, and his 10-year-old son, Erpan, a Grade 4 pupil—were also wounded after their multicab, which was traveling behind the military vehicle, was caught in the crossfire.
The wounded civilians were brought to Lamitan District Hospital, while soldiers who sustained serious injuries were airlifted to Zamboanga City for medical treatment.
The incident raised renewed concerns over the safety of military personnel traveling along Basilan’s roads and the risk faced by civilians caught in armed attacks.
Second ambush within three days
The Lamitan attack followed another ambush on October 5 in Sitio Bauno Dagao, Barangay Badja, Tipo-Tipo, which wounded government personnel, including soldiers and members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU).
The Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC), through its Basilan Provincial Office, reported that 10 government personnel were wounded in the Tipo-Tipo incident. Its October 9 statement also cited the Lamitan attack, which wounded seven soldiers and two civilians, including the 10-year-old boy.
The two incidents prompted the military to intensify pursuit operations and strengthen coordination with police, local government units, and other security agencies.
Brig. Gen. Frederick Sales, commander of the 1101st Infantry Brigade, previously attributed both ambushes to the group allegedly led by Saddam Siddik.
Reports have described the group leader as a wanted criminal figure with past links to the now-defunct Abu Sayyaf Group. However, the reported association should not be interpreted as confirmation that the group remains part of the former organization.
Wife reportedly killed in September operation
The recent violence has also drawn attention to a September 29 law enforcement operation in Barangay Baimbing, Lamitan City, during which Nermalyn Musa, reportedly Kele’s wife, was killed.
Previous reports said Musa had standing arrest warrants for three counts of murder.
Authorities have suggested that the subsequent ambushes may have been acts of retaliation following the operation that killed Musa. However, the motive has not been conclusively established, and investigators must determine the circumstances surrounding the attacks and the alleged involvement of those being pursued.
The issuance of the wanted notice for Kele places renewed focus on efforts to locate a person facing serious criminal charges while investigators continue examining the series of attacks.
A wanted notice and an outstanding arrest warrant do not, by themselves, establish guilt. The criminal allegations against Kele must be resolved through the judicial process.
WestMinCom gives commanders two weeks to deliver results
Following the attacks, Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, acting commander of WestMinCom, ordered military units in Basilan to intensify security and pursuit operations, giving commanders two weeks to produce results.
Cagara issued the directive after a security assessment meeting on October 9 with officials of the 11th Infantry Division, brigade commanders, and battalion commanders.
The orders included pursuing those responsible for the ambushes, securing main supply routes, strengthening intelligence gathering, coordinating with local government units, and improving operational security to reduce the vulnerability of troops moving between locations.
Cagara emphasized that protecting civilians remained a priority, particularly after two civilians were wounded in the Lamitan attack.
He also cautioned against prematurely interpreting the incidents as proof that the group had become a major security threat or that the 45IB was necessarily being deliberately targeted.
According to Cagara, the attackers’ mobility, familiarity with the terrain, and ability to exploit opportunities while troops were moving appeared to have contributed to their advantage.
Despite the attacks, he maintained that Basilan remained generally peaceful and free of the Abu Sayyaf Group, describing the incidents as the actions of a criminal group that had drawn heightened security attention.
Basilan government strengthens inter-agency coordination
On October 10, the Provincial Government of Basilan, led by Governor Mujiv Hataman, convened a security coordination meeting with the 1101st Infantry Brigade and other security stakeholders.
The meeting, held at the brigade headquarters, focused on the prevailing security situation and the need to strengthen cooperation among the provincial government, military, police, and other concerned agencies.
The discussions came as authorities sought to prevent further attacks, improve the protection of civilians, and support ongoing efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The successive ambushes have placed pressure on security forces to produce results while ensuring that operations do not expose residents and other noncombatants to additional harm.
Authorities appeal for public assistance
WestMinCom’s wanted notice provides the public with an official channel for reporting information that could help authorities locate Kele.
Anyone with credible information is urged to contact the 1101st Infantry Brigade at 0976-176-1080 or 0997-664-3779, or the Basilan Provincial Police Office through its official hotline.
The public is advised not to approach or attempt to apprehend the wanted individual. Information should instead be relayed directly to the appropriate authorities.
As pursuit operations continue, the immediate challenges for security forces are to locate the person named in the wanted notice, establish accountability for the deadly ambushes through lawful investigations, and prevent further harm to soldiers and civilians in Basilan.