TERRORIST’S DIARY “Journal of ABDUL-ASG”

Most say “Abdul” who was born in dearth will eventually die like one as he lazes around all-day doing nothing. But that is, since they knew too little about the seventeen-year old high school drop-out. Even more intriguing in Abduls’ skyrocketing future is that it had nothing to do with finishing school or even lifting a bone in the farm or labouring in the wet markets of Pagadian. All he needed to do was get a good trip on a gun he can’t even name and pull the trigger at a tin can a feet away while watching over a distance is certain Dr. Abu Pula. That time, Abdul’s “testosterone” was running high with a grip of the cold barrel but he had no intentions of actually getting into the Abu Sayaff (ASG). Not unit he laid his eyes on a bag-load of cash. “It was pretty easy”, a long- haired guy muttered from behind him. “If you’re man enough”, the man then tested.

Abdul was no dumb nor was he too innocent. He has heard of the ASG. They were no threat to him but he knew it was not the case with the Christians in Pagadian-Zamboanga del Sur’s city-district. The teenager has nothing against the Christians, but it had been common for Muslims including him to think otherwise, It would be too bad gaining easy money while blending it with grudge. That’s what drove Abdul in joining the terror group and it still does up until today.

He had been with the ASG since April of 2007 and he never once felt remorse to those they chose to behead for an unpaid ransom. Abdul added that downsizing his guilt is done simply by keeping a safe distance from among their captives. Think no less of them than another bag-full of money. But that was easier said than done when the group of Abdul went from rich magnates to mere public teachers whom Abdul knew is proper than him. And that is why this journal is about.

Abdul was introduced to the group of Albader Parad, who led him and eight others in the kidnapping of Lidio Castro and Sherwin Caraeg in Tawi-Tawi last Nov 09 & 29, 2001. Abdul were among those who held the two at gun-point as they trek to Languyan with four other ASG. The hide and seek with the pursuing government troops led Abdul and the two captives from Kabingaan Island to Pala Island till they joined with Commander Dingdong Unad in Sulu. But it sure was not easy as the military zeroed them in Jolo. This then pushed Abdul and the others to trail back to Tawi-Tawi. On their way back to Tawi-Tawi at about 8:30 of June 24, 2002, Abdul recalled meeting 70 other Sulu-based ASG in Mt Tukay, Parang, Sulu where he again met with his “recruiter” Dr Abu Pula who he later named as Jumail Gumbahali.

The “No-to-Negotiation” stand of the authorities then alarmed the group, Abdul added. Others then, particularly Albader Parad ordered Sherwin’s head cut-off to show the government they mean business. But Dullah, one of the Parad’s cohorts insisted that a finger would do. From late June till early July of that year, Parad and Abu have been threatening Sherwin. The former wanted to starve the captive to death. But as Abdul recalled, no one isn’t starving during the three months trek. They hardly eat and if they do the captives usually get the smallest share. Abdul then laughed as he recalled how Parad made fool of himself when he gave that order.

“Parad would always give us a speech about what we would be getting with Sherwin and Lidio. He said we could eat anything we want and sleep with whoever we want to after we disperse in Jolo. But by then, we were starting to doubt. We were walking zombies as we try avoiding the army day-in day-out.” Abdul sighed. The teenager even admitted having planned of gouging-out Sherwin’s left eye whenever he gets a good glance at the captive.

But seemingly Abdul claimed that his suffering paid-off when last September 15, 2002 Dr Abu got the PNP to negotiate. He never get to count how much money Dr Abu got with the exchange for Sherwin’s life but he said the whole group were laughing when Parad exclaimed that he asked for almost 25,000 worth for Sherwin’s so-called “board and lodging”. As Abdul remembered, he rarely feed their captives, and if they get to, it would be five emptied can of sardines which could last for the whole month. He could not recall a day where any of those they kidnapped had the chance of getting a three full meal or for that matter a decent and clean one. He said the grandest meal he could offer these captives were biscuits, bread and a feast for a fish dish which was served only among famous and supposed rich captives.

Abdul was amazed on how the other released captives could even swallow the strength to tell the media they were treated well. Aside from the intentional starving, long walks and that of the beating; Abdul utterly said they were treated nowhere human but mere baggage good for barter. This supposed “they treated as well” is a script forcibly taught by Parad amongst those released while threatening of having them killed whenever and wherever he wants to. Truth is their released captives would always live under Parad’s and Abdul’s shadow. Most would live denying their tortures to themselves and would even swear to bury those secrets to their graves. Abdul counted on that and continually believes so.

That ransom exchange with Caraeg served as the fuelling agent of Abdul and the whole group. He even claimed that this group was running a so-called “holiday trip with a unique apartelle”. The only thing illegal about it is that they forced their clients to sleep on cold dirt, dragged them on foot while trekking rock terrains and routinely giving them a good beating before the group decides to while the night. The beating made me sleep, Abdul uttered. When the captive is unconscious and practically when both its arms and legs are pretty swollen Abdul won’t have much to worry about an escape. They usually do it among not too prominent victims who were ordinary villagers unfortunate enough of meeting Parad and his crew along shallow brook or Narrow Mountain passes.

There were even times when Parad ordered Abdul and the others to take a shot of their captives from waist up, avoiding the legs and ofcourse parts that would eventually kill them, which make the captives and their effort totally worthless. From time to time, cutting a part of these victims was an exhilarating game for Abdul and his other comrade-Usman. Seeing how the victims fear and would do entirely everything of what Abdul and Usman asked of them was a form of ecstasy.

Abdul recalled having threatened a woman as old as her sister to stand naked in front of him and Usman. Abdul was practically smiling recalling the incidence where he won over Usman. Drastically, the two were on a race of who gets to “do it” (includes rapes and molestations) with their other girl captives. Abdul recalled it was something he had to do to get some respect in the group. He added how sorry he was for the girl then but he doesn’t want to go against Parad’s rules. Abdul claimed, Parad thinks everyone of us is dispensable. “He (Parad) could and would kill anyone of us if he wants to, Abdul ended.

Within the span of 2 hours and almost 25 minutes, the interview with Abdul ended with the far gruesome story. He claimed that being part of the ASG made him untouchable. The people in Sulu and across Zamboanga could attest to that. Abdul was no longer a 17-year old boy who lazed around. He was a murderer and a loose canon who admitted the vilest crime the country has yet to hear. He admitted having raped several women and have witnessed how they were passed-on from one ASG to the next. He confessed having beaten four civilian residents to death just because he wanted Parad and others to know he is no “sissy”. Inflicting pain to others and seeing the fear in their eyes made Abdul think he was playing God. Abdul could not even spell-put the word terrorism. But when he held his rifle and pointed it, one could see he embodies the “almost” perfect terrorism.

Abdul and the rest of the ASG were the worst among world’s terrorists. They were not driven by any chauvinistic or distorted ideology like those in the Middle East who turn themselves into human detonators. Instead, they were literal bandits and cold-blooded criminals who simply employ terror to gain cash. They were neither Muslim nor human. Religion and even that of Abdul’s so-called Muslim grudge against the Christians were immaterial to their dreadful acts. In fact there isn’t a word that would define who or what they even were. Moreover, there are no humanly-acceptable reason for the ASG’s brutality and zeal for terror. From the Commanders Robot, Janjalani and now to Sahiron and Parad, there is a huge possibility that Abdul and others like him would aim at the so-called amir league of brutal felons.

There was nothing to admire in the long list of story Abdul had for this article. But there were everything to be disgusted of. Maybe this honestly of Abdul is the only thing left of his humanity. Or maybe just like how Parad paraded himself in the press, the young Abdul wanted a taste of fame himself. Fame that would ironically placed him in every Filipinos wrath and ultimately the much-needed revulsion hat would lead to the ASG’s annihilation.