An Abu Sayyaf bandit tagged among those who beheaded Kabankalan Marine Cpl. Emilio Lachica and nine others in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan last year, was captured in Shariff Kabunsuan province of Central Mindanao by a combined team of military and police intelligence operatives, police yesterday said.

Senior Supt. Leonardo Espina, chief of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response, said Aramil Sulayman, 29, one of the Philippines most wanted persons, has a reward of P500,00 for his capture.

Sulayman, a Basilan resident, has a pending arrest warrants for nine counts of murder and frustrated murder in four counts, in connection with the ambush and beheading in July 10 last year.

Lachica, a resident of Brgy. Pinaguinpinan, Kabankalan City , and other Marine troopers were searching for kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi when they were ambushed by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan, military records show.

PNP chief Avelino Razon commended PACER operatives and Army intelligence operatives involved in the operation against Sulayman, which he called "a significant stride in the campaign against the local terrorists group."

Espina said the arrest resulted from extensive intelligence operations by PACER under Case Operation Plan "Shoppers", designed to neutralize wanted person affiliated with the Abu Sayaff Group.

Lachica was posthumously promoted to the next higher rank by President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo, in recognition of the gallantry he displayed during the Abu Sayyaf attack.*GPB

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