|
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
2 Marines slain as troops search for Bossi in Sulu
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Two Marine troopers were killed while another was injured Tuesday in a clash with Abu Sayyaf bandits in the island province of Sulu, where military pursuit continues against local and foreign terrorists.
The clash took place as the military expanded its search for Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi to include Sulu.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage
View here the list of local winners
Marine troops came under fire while doing patrol in the town of Patikul, according to military reports.
It was not immediately known whether the Abu Sayyaf, numbering around 30, suffered casualties in the clash.
Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) Chief Eugenio Cedo said they were now searching for Bossi in Sulu, where there were also reported sightings of the priest, aside from Basilan.
Bossi, 57, of the Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere (Pime) and parish priest of Payao town in Zamboanga Sibugay, was seized last June 10 while on his way to celebrate mass in Barangay Bulawan.
Cedo said they are sending troops to verify sightings of Bossi in various places, such as in the island of Olutanga, Naga, and Tungawan towns in Zamboanga Sibugay.
"We sent out troops to verify or to confirm the presence of the priest in those areas," Cedo said.
The military still believes that Wanning Abdusalam, the brother of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader Akiddin Abdusalam, is involved in the abduction of the Italian priest even if no group claimed responsibility for the incident.
Cedo said evidence points to Abdusalam's involvement and the police had already filed charges against him and his cohorts. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (July 18, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Law on violence v. gov't critics proposed in summit