A captured Abu Sayyaf leader, who allegedly took part in several abductions over the past two years, pleaded not guilty yesterday during his arraignment at a trial court in Davao. According to Judge Gregorio Palabrica, Nadzmi Sabdullah, otherwise known as "Commander Global," arrived aboard a commercial flight from General Santos City amid tight security and without a lawyer to represent him in court.

Sabdullah, considered as one of the "ideologues" in the core leadership of the Abu Sayyaf, ranks among the top five leaders of the separatist group and carried a five million peso ($98,000) bounty for his capture. He was arrested inside their safehouse in General Santos City in June along with his aide.

According to the military, Sabdullah was planning to conduct bombing attacks in the southern port city when they were caught. The bombings, according to the armed forces, were aimed at diverting the government's attention from a hostage situation in southern Basilan island involving three Americans and several Filipinos snatched from a resort in western Palawan island last May.

The Abu Sayyaf leader was also suspected of taking part in the abduction of 21 mostly foreign hostages from another resort in Sipadan island, across the border in Malaysia, in April last year.

Palabrica has set the pre-trial on October 11 for Sabdullah. In an exclusive interview with ANC Channel 21, Commander Global has admitted that he is a member of the Abu Sayyaf but he denied taking part in the Sipadan hostage-taking as he was only a spokesperson of the bandit group.

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said a series of raids by army soldiers led to the capture of 13 rebels since Tuesday. Two of those arrested had a reward of P1 million each on their heads.

Col. Fresdesvindo Covarrubias, commander of the military's civil relations group, said Abu Sayyaf lieutenant Suki Sulaiman, reportedly one of the most feared bandits in Basilan, was killed yesterday when he tried to launch an attack in a remote village.