THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is verifying reports that a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who was reportedly killed by a fellow bandit was the same Philippine Army captain who went absent without official leave (AWOL) in 2008.

“We are validating reports regarding the killing of Nazmil Ali. And we are also verifying a report that he was indeed the former Army Capt. Khalid Sali who went AWOL in 2008, or seven years ago,” Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, said on Wednesday.