Published January 27, 2021, 6:36 PM
Twenty-one years ago, then Capt. Cirilito Sobejana was given information that a group of Abu Sayyaf fighters led by its original founder Abdurajak Janjalani was encamped near his area of responsibility in Isabela, Basilan. He was just promoted to Captain then and was serving as the commander of the First Scout Ranger Company.
Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, commander of the Western Mindanao Command (6th Infantry Division – Kampilan Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
During that time, the Abu Sayyaf Group had just been formed by Abdurajak Janjalani, a veteran of the Afghanistan war, after breaking away from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by Nur Misuari.