KOTA KINABALU • A sub-commander of the Abu Sayyaf militant group known as Idang Susukan has been arrested by Philippine police in Davao City.

He was apprehended on Thursday at the house of Nur Misuari, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front, and is currently detained at the offices of the Davao City police.

The Star had earlier reported that the notorious gunman, whose real name is Abduljihad Susukan, was moving about freely in Davao city.

Idang had 34 warrants of arrest against him and was wanted by the Philippines and Malaysia for killings and kidnappings in the southern Philippines and the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia.

Regional intelligence sources said he arrived in Davao on Tuesday with Misuari and was seen walking freely in the city. The sources said Idang had surrendered to Misuari on Jolo island in April.

Idang had been involved in a spate of cross-border kidnappings for ransom in Sabah's east coast since 2013. These include the abductions in 2014 of Chinese national Gao Huayun and Filipina Marcy Darawan in April, Chinese national Yang Zai Lin in May, and Malaysian Chan Sai Chun in June that year.

Idang was also connected to the beheading of Malaysian tourist Bernard Then on Jolo island in November 2015.

According to regional intelligence sources, Misuari brought Idang to Davao to have him fitted with a prosthetic limb, after he lost his left arm during a gun battle with the Philippine armed forces on Jolo island early last year.

Sources also said that Misuari is expected to meet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in the next few days.

Misuari has pledged to Mr Duterte to bring peace to the southern Muslim Mindanao region and crush militant groups in the southern Philippines.

Misuari faces charges of rebellion and corruption but was given "temporary liberty" in October 2016 to allow him to participate in peace talks with the Duterte government.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK