ZAMBOANGA CITY — Five Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members were reported killed while six soldiers were wounded in the latest firefight as operations continue to rescue hostages in Sulu province, officials said Thursday.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the firefight happened at around 2:31 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Panglahayan, Patikul municipality.
The firefight ensued as the troops of the Army’s 5th Scout Ranger Battalion led by Lt. Col. Marlon Jomalesa chanced upon a group of 30 ASG bandits.
The bandits who figured in the firefight were followers of Radulan Sahiron, the oldest among the Abu Sayyaf commanders, and of sub-leaders Julie Ekit, Amlon Abthi and Amah Asam.
“In his report, Lt. Col. Jomalesa said that they were able to creep in as close as 20 meters that is why they were able to fire at the enemy at close range,” Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said.
“They were just very careful due to the possible presence of kidnap victims with the Abu Sayyafs,” Galvez added.
The Abu Sayyaf bandits are still hodling 10 hostages. They comprised of three Indonesians, one Dutch, one vietenamese, and five Filipinos.
Sobejana said troops of the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion reinforced the Scout Rangers that prompted the Abu Sayyaf bandits to flee.
Sobejana said the troops recovered from the clash site two caliber 5.56 M-16 rifles, including a “baby” Armalite the bandit have abandoned when they fled.
He said the troops have received report that five Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed in the clash but the remains were dragged by their fleeing companions.
Four of the wounded soldiers were taken to Camp Baustista Station Hospital while the other two were airlifted to this city.
He said they continued “to employ more pressure on the remaining Abu Sayyaf bandits to rescue the captives and gain more enemy strongholds and armaments.”
The Joint Task Force Sulu have recovered 14 firearms in combat operations while 24 were surrendered by the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
“While operations are vigorously undertaken to thwart further kidnappings, we still encourage other Abu Sayyaf members to lay down their arms in order to finally have peace in Sulu and Basilan,” Galvez added. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
