Philippine police say the arrest of a man identified as a top leader of the Abu Sayyaf militant group was a case of mistaken identity.
Police apologized Sunday for the mistaken arrest of a man who resembles Radulan Sahiron, an Abu Sayyaf commander wanted on 21 counts of kidnapping.
The villager, who was arrested in a security operation in the southern Philippines Saturday, will be released to his family.
President Gloria Arroyo announced the arrest on television Saturday and praised the national police for their achievement.
The one-armed commander is wanted for his alleged involvement in the abduction of foreign tourists from Sipadan Island in Malaysia in April of 2000 and the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan in May of 2001.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.