(Eagle News) – -One of the masterminds of the 2018 bombing of a mall in Cotabato City died in an encounter with police early Wednesday, the Philippine National Police said.
According to the PNP, Abraham Abad Abdulrahman a.k.a. Abu Suffian was killed in the gunbattle that ensued amid the implementation of a search warrant in Barangay Bagua 2 in Cotabato City at 1:30 a.m.
The PNP said the warrant had been issued by Allan Edwin Boncavil, acting presiding judge of Branch 19 of the Regional Trial Court of Isulan City, Sultan Kudarat.
Citing a post-operation report from Police Colonel Warren De Leon, Acting Director of the PNP Intelligence Group, PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas said upon arrival at the residence of Jasmiyah Camsa Imbrahim, believed to be the wife of Abu Suffian, Abu Suffian resisted and shot at the joint team from the Counter-Terrorism Division of Regional Intelligence Units 12 & 15 of PNP-IG; CIDG-BAR Regional Field Unit; PNP Special Action Force; and Cotabato City Police Office.
Abu Suffian, whom police records identified as a member of the Dawlah Islamiya, had been armed with a cal.45 pistol and a hand grenade, the police said.
Jasmiyah, however, managed to escape.
Six children were rescued from the area of encounter while another woman found in the house was placed under custody.
According to the PNP, apart from being one of the masterminds of the Dec. 31, 2018 South Seas Mall bombing that killed two persons and wounded 30 others, Abu Suffian took part in the siege of Butig and Marawi City, Lanao del Sur with the Maute Group.
He, however, escaped, along with widows of jihadists during the military-police operation conducted in Marawi City and sought refuge in Maguindanao, the PNP said.
The PNP said he had since been operating under militants Salahuddin Hassan and IED expert Abu Naim, and was also under the direct supervision of Abu Turaife of the DI-BIFF for whom he was purchasing IED components and medical supplies.
Abu Suffian attended IED training in 2015 in Barangay Butril Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat under the late Mohammad Jaafar Maguid a.k.a. Tokboy Maguid of the militant Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines, the PNP said.