Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Kato hurt in ambush (10:46 a.m.)
MANILA -- Umbra Kato, the leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels that occupied over a dozen of barangays in North Cotabato, was reportedly injured in an ambush staged by still unidentified men in Shariff Kabunsuan province on Tuesday.
Citing initial reports from the field, Major Armand Rico, spokesman of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said two of Kato’s men, one of them identified only as one Monib, were killed in the ambush at around 1:20 p.m. in Kabuntalan town.
Incidentally, the ambush took place hours before Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno announced a P5-million bounty for Kato’s capture. The government also offered a P5-million bounty for Commander Bravo, who led last Monday’s atrocities in the Lanao provinces.
“He was ambushed by a group of armed men. He was wounded but he was able to escape. That is the report that we got from the civilians. As of now, our troops responded and established blocking points in his possible route of withdrawal,” said Rico.
“Ameril Umbra Kato was wounded while two of his followers were killed, one was identified as a certain alias Monib,” said Rico. He said the slain MILF rebels was identified by the civilians as a follower of Kato, leader of the 105th Base Command.
Kato’s command occupied the North Cotabato villages starting July 1. The military launched an offensive against Kato and his group last August 10, two days after a government ultimatum for them to peacefully leave the forcibly-occupied areas lapsed. (VR/Sunnex) |
