09 November 2005
Ahmad Santos once set up terrorist camp in Anda
BINMALEY – The head of a terrorist group arrested by the military along with several others in Zamboanga City last Tuesday was the same man who set up a terrorist training camp in Anda, Pangasinan about four years ago which was raided and neutralized by the police.
Philippine National Police Chief Director Arturo Lomibao recalled that he was still the police regional director of the Ilocos when his men arrested Hilarion Santos, alias “Ahmad Santos” with several others in Anda town in 2001.
That was the first time the Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM), an extremist group of the Balik Islam movement, surfaced, Lomibao told newsmen at a news conference here recently.
“In the Philippines, the places affected by terrorism are Metro Manila and Mindanao. And Pangasinan came to the fore before when we discovered the training camp of the Rajah Solaiman movement in Anda in 2001, Lomibao said.
Santos a native of Anda who returned home after long years of absence and settled in his parents’ large estate in Anda, was tagged by Lomibao as the leader and founder of the RSM responsible for bombing sprees in various parts of the country.
He was arrested in 2001 when police raided the training camp he set up in a secluded place in Anda. High-powered firearms with several rounds of ammunitions, including claymore mines were seized by the police and military.
Santos however claimed it was a Islamic school, or madrasah that was raided by government agents.
Santos was released after posting bail but he never attended the trial of his case for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions as he soon jumped bail and was unheard of anymore.
True to the prediction of then Police Provincial Director, Senior Supt. Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza, who spearheaded the raid on the training camp, Santos went into hiding as soon as he was released.
Lomibao revealed that Santos went to Mindanao and initially trained with the Moro Islamic Liberation Movement and finally with the Abu Sayaff Group.
He said although the RSM has only a few members, what makes the group still dangerous is its alliance with the ASG.
Confirming that the terrorist camp in Anda has now been neutralized, Lomibao assured that Pangasinan is not high on their (terrorist) level of priority”
“I could guarantee that no terrorism will happen here in Pangasinan, perhaps in the next two years,” said Lomibao, a native of Mangaldan town in Pangasinan.
Still, Lomibao called on the people to be extra-vigilant because terrorism is a fact of life and can happen anywhere, even in the United States, Spain and in United Kingdom.
Philippine National Police Chief Director Arturo Lomibao recalled that he was still the police regional director of the Ilocos when his men arrested Hilarion Santos, alias “Ahmad Santos” with several others in Anda town in 2001.
That was the first time the Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM), an extremist group of the Balik Islam movement, surfaced, Lomibao told newsmen at a news conference here recently.
“In the Philippines, the places affected by terrorism are Metro Manila and Mindanao. And Pangasinan came to the fore before when we discovered the training camp of the Rajah Solaiman movement in Anda in 2001, Lomibao said.
Santos a native of Anda who returned home after long years of absence and settled in his parents’ large estate in Anda, was tagged by Lomibao as the leader and founder of the RSM responsible for bombing sprees in various parts of the country.
He was arrested in 2001 when police raided the training camp he set up in a secluded place in Anda. High-powered firearms with several rounds of ammunitions, including claymore mines were seized by the police and military.
Santos however claimed it was a Islamic school, or madrasah that was raided by government agents.
Santos was released after posting bail but he never attended the trial of his case for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions as he soon jumped bail and was unheard of anymore.
True to the prediction of then Police Provincial Director, Senior Supt. Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza, who spearheaded the raid on the training camp, Santos went into hiding as soon as he was released.
Lomibao revealed that Santos went to Mindanao and initially trained with the Moro Islamic Liberation Movement and finally with the Abu Sayaff Group.
He said although the RSM has only a few members, what makes the group still dangerous is its alliance with the ASG.
Confirming that the terrorist camp in Anda has now been neutralized, Lomibao assured that Pangasinan is not high on their (terrorist) level of priority”
“I could guarantee that no terrorism will happen here in Pangasinan, perhaps in the next two years,” said Lomibao, a native of Mangaldan town in Pangasinan.
Still, Lomibao called on the people to be extra-vigilant because terrorism is a fact of life and can happen anywhere, even in the United States, Spain and in United Kingdom.
