ANOTHER wanted member of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group was arrested Sunday by Philippine National Police intelligence agents in Metro Manila as the PNP and the Armed Forces continued their stepped-up security measures to deter would-be “sympathy attacks” from local terror rings in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death, officials said yesterday.

PNP chief, Director General Raul M. Bacalzo said Asdatul Sahirun alias Abu Nawas/Kirih Hamid Sahirun was arrested while with his girlfriend inside the Robinsons Mall in Malate, Manila 11 a.m. Sunday by combined agents of the National Capital Region Police Office and the PNP Intelligence Group.

A P3.3 million bounty has been offered for the arrest of Sahirun by the Departments of National Defense-Interior and Local Government, said Bacalzo. The suspect is the subject of a warrant of arrest for nine counts of murder and four counts of frustrated murder issued by Judge Leo Jay T. Principe of the Isabela, Basilan Regional Trial Court Branch 1.

NCRPO director, Chief Supt. Alan M. Purisima, said the suspect was immediately taken to the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City shortly after his arrest.

He said they got the information that the suspect fled to Metro Manila to evade arrest by PNP and AFP intelligence operatives.

“He (Sahirun) has been moving from one place to another to escape detection by authorities,” Purisima said. The arrest of the elusive Abu Sayyaf bandit came following information received by the PNP-IG headed by Chief Supt. Manuel Barcena Jr.