Kota Kinabalu: A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who participated in the kidnapping of foreign tourists in Pulau Sipandan, off Semporna, 20 years ago surrendered to the Philippine military in Tawi-Tawi Province on Christmas Eve.Identified as Barri Lakibol, 44, who carries the aliases of Barley Badeng, Otoh Itom and Robin, he surrendered and turned over a US-made M-14 rifle with ammunition at the headquarters of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 (MBLT-12) led by Lt. Col. Henry Espinosa in Barangay Nalil, Bongao.
Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) Commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr said Lakibol was recruited by the late Sulu-based ASG leader Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot in January 2000 and was involved in the Sipadan mass kidnapping in the same year.
The ASG bandits seized 21 people, mostly European tourists, from the dive resort island on April 23, 2000 and herded them to the province of Sulu.
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