Wednesday, November 12, 2008 10 MILF rebels dead in Wao encounter By Richel V. Umel
ILIGAN CITY -- Ten Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members were killed and 15 others wounded in a six-hour battle with government troops in Lanao del Sur Monday.
The firefight, which occurred in the boundary of Wao and Bombaran towns, displaced hundreds of families living in the hinterland villages in Wao, said Perla Eniego, the town's information officer.
Eniego said evacuees are temporarily housed in school buildings and are awaiting help from the local government. It could not be immediately confirmed if there are affected families in the neighboring Bombaran town.
She said evacuees need relief assistance and that help has yet to arrive from the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), as well as the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur.
The intense fighting ensued after government troops pursuing armed men believed to be responsible for the toppling of Transco towers encountered around 200 MILF rebels, military officials said.
Government troops did not suffer any casualty, said Colonel Nicanor Dolojan, 403rd Army Brigade commander, and added that 10 MILF rebels were confirmed dead whiled 15 others were wounded.
The troops recovered a B-40 rocket launcher, MILF uniforms, foodstuffs, personal belongings, and documents, said Dolojan.
The Army official accused the MILF of planning to attack on government and military installations in Wao and Bombaran. The Muslim separatist group denied this in its website, www.luwaran.com.
Major Michelle Anayron, 4th Infantry Division Philippine spokesperson, attributed the Army's zero casualty to its "planned air and ground assault forces."
"Close air support from OV-10 and MG520 from the Philippine Air Force and artillery fires from 105mm Howitzers were targeted at enemy positions," Anayron told Sun.Star.
The encounter occurred at 8:45 a.m. in Barangay Sumogot, Bombaran town, when soldiers from the 29th Infantry Brigade and the 43rd Division Reconnaissance Company spotted the MILF rebels, Anayron said.
The government troops, he said, were conducting pursuit operations on armed elements responsible for the bombing of Transco towers in Maramag town in Bukidnon last week.
On All Souls' Day, Transco towers 222 and 213 were toppled by homemade bombs planted by still unknown armed men.
