In accordance with paragraph 13 of resolution 1822 (2008) and subsequent related resolutions, the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee makes accessible a narrative summary of reasons for the listing for individuals, groups, undertakings and entities included in the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.
Ruben Pestano Lavilla, Jr. was listed on 4 June 2008 pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 12 of resolution 1735 (2006) as being associated with Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” the Abu Sayyaf Group (QDe.001), Jemaah Islamiyah (QDe.092) and the Rajah Solaiman Movement (QDe.128).
Ruben Pestano Lavilla, Jr. is a founding member of the Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM) (QDe.128). He took over as RSM’s political, religious and strategic leader following the arrest of Hilarion Del Rosario Santos III a.k.a. Ahmad Islam Santos (QDi.244) in 2005. He is considered RSM’s spiritual advisor.
Ruben Lavilla, Jr. was a classmate of Khadafi Abubakar Janjalani (deceased), the head of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) (QDe.001), at the Darul Islam Al Shafie Academy (now known as Ibno Shinah Integrated School) in Marawi City in 1992. This school was established in 1989 by an organization linked to Mohammad Jamal Khalifa, a brother-in-law of Usama bin Laden (deceased). He attended training on military tactics and explosives, including bomb making, conducted by the ASG and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) (QDe.092) in Mindanao. ASG leaders Khadafi Janjalani (deceased) and Jainal Antel Sali, Jr. (deceased) were among his mentors.
Lavilla actively solicited donations for the RSM and other similar organizations in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, which he then sent to the Philippines. During a police raid of an RSM training camp in Anda, Pangasinan, the Philippines, in 2002, Lavilla escaped arrest because he was in Mindanao to pick up funds promised to the RSM by Khadafi Janjalani (deceased). At some point before 2003, Lavilla personally couriered approximately 200,000 USD for the RSM.
Lavilla recruited members of the RSM. He later sent them to be trained by the ASG and JI in Mindanao.
Lavilla was implicated in a bombing at the Awang Airport near Cotabato City on 20 February 2003 that killed one soldier and wounded three civilians. JI and the ASG were behind this attack. Lavilla was also a part of an ASG-sponsored cell that carried out the bombing of a passenger ferry in Manila Bay in February 2004 that killed over 100 people.