MANILA, Philippines — Two Philippine security officials said Sunday that key Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) commander known as “Dr. Abu” was planning terror attacks when he was killed in a United States-backed airstrike last week.

The officials said Abu Sayyaf commander Umbra Jumdailm, also known as Dr. Abu, who was killed Thursday in a jungle hideout on Jolo island, Sulu, was harboring Southeast Asian terrorist figures providing funds and bomb-making training.

Jumdail, also known as “Dr. Abu” and “Abu Pula,” is a known founder of the Abu Sayyaf.

Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said top Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror network suspect Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” from Malaysia and Singaporean militant Abdullah Ali were killed along with Jumdail and 12 other gunmen.

Ali, who has the alias “Muawiyah,” is a JI personality believed to be the contact of top Bali, Indonesia bombing suspect Umar Patek.

Two security officials, however, said the two are still alive and not in the area that was bombed.

A sample specimen believed to be that of JI’s Marwan is now in the custody of United States authorities for DNA testing, a military official said on Sunday.

Marwan is among the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) most wanted terrorists and carries a $5 million bounty on his head.

“Mauiyah” also carries a $50,000 bounty on his head while Jumdail has a reward of $140,000.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has also identified eight more of the 15 killed during the air raid, including a third JI member who had entered the country in December, a certain alias “Jumong.”

The other slain militants were Moammad Jumdail also known as "Ting", son of Dr. Abu; Tati Jamhali, alias "Leong", alias "Teng", alias "Muin", alias "Julpe", and Tuan Nash Lipae - all ASG members.

Statements made by the military to the media indicate that not one body of the 15 Muslim extremists allegedly killed during the surgical military operation in Barangay Duyan Kabau, Parang, Sulu.

However, Burgos said at a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo that they have already identified the areas were the slain militants were believed to have been buried by their comrades following the air raid.

Burgos added the AFP will be coordinating with Malaysian authorities, as well as, families especially of the slain terror leaders for the conduct of a DNA test.

But a military official told the Manila Bulletin that sample specimen believed to be that of "Marwan" was already submitted to United States authorities for DNA testing.

The official said the conduct of a DNA test is necessary as this will provide the scientific proof that the top terror leader was indeed among those killed in military operation in Sulu province.

He added this is also needed considering the United States government has offered a large amount of bounty for the capture of Marwan, Mauiyah, and Dr. Abu.

The official further said the military is definite on its report about the death of the three senior JI and ASG leaders.

"The AFP statement is based on the testimony ng source on the ground who confirmed the presence of the three terror personalities during the air strike," said the official, adding that Thursday's operation was the result of an intense intelligence build up.

He added no bodies were recovered because the impact of the four 500-pound bombs dropped by two OV10 aircrafts of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) may have obliterated its targets, including the terror leaders.

"Mga human flesh na lang ang na-recover from the site and sample specimen were already sent to Hawaii for DNA testing," said the AFP official.

A US official in Washington has earlier also reportedly confirmed that Pentago provided assistance to the air strike on a jungle of Parang, Sulu where some 30 militants were temporarily camped before dawn on Thursday.

This was also confirmed by the AFP official, although he stressed that the assistance provided by the US during the operation was purely technical.

"They helped us by providing information and through signal intelligence and electronic intelligence, but the actual operation was conducted purely by the AFP," according to the source.

He further said the DNA process may take some time before the result will be known, even as he echoed the AFP statement that Marwan, Mauwiyah, and Dr. Abu are already dead.

"All we need now is scientific proof to support our claim and that will come once we get the result of the DNA test," he stated.