EIGHT people, including six Abu Sayyaf bandits and two children, were killed while 15 others, among them a junior officer, wounded in a firefight in Sulu, military officials disclosed on Sunday, May 26.
Colonel Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) information officer, said the firefight broke out around 5:35 p.m., Saturday, May 25, in the village of Igasan, Patikul, Sulu.
Besana said the firefight ensued when the troops chanced upon 30 Abu Sayyaf bandits led by Mundi Sawadjaan while responding to a reported harassment by the bandits on the residents in Igasan that resulted to the death of two children and three others injured.
“The troops immediately responded and assisted the residents to safely vacate the area,” Besana added.
Besana said the firefight lasted for about 30 minutes that resulted to the death of six Abu Sayyaf bandits.
He disclosed that five soldiers, including a second lieutenant platoon commander, were wounded while seven Abu Sayyaf bandits were also reported injured during the firefight.
He said the wounded soldiers belong to the 13th Special Forces Company of the Army’s 6th Special Forces Battalion.
According to Besana, Second Lieutenant Christian Capiz, a Special Forces platoon leader, and two enlisted personnel were wounded when they rescued three children caught in the crossfire.
“I could have easily withdrawn my troops to a safer position, but I cannot leave behind the trapped and panicking children. So I ordered my men to hold their position and prevent the advance of the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) at all cost,” Capiz said in a statement.
Besana said the Abu Sayyaf bandits fled dragging along their casualties.
The wounded soldiers and civilians are currently recuperating at the Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital in Jolo, Sulu.
Brigadier General Peter Angelo Ramos, Army’s 1102nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the desperate attack on innocent civilians by the Abu Sayyaf bandits is a total disrespect to the tenets of Islam as a religion of peace and blatant disregard in the observance of holy month of Ramadan.
Ramos said the attacks by the Abu Sayyaf bandits on civilians “is not new to us” as he recalled “they harassed our hapless civilians with mortar fires during the Medical and Civic Action Program in the village of Tanum, Patikul sometime in February this year.”
Similarly, Ramos said they also ambushed in the village of Taglibi, Patikul a group of public school teachers who were on the way to report for work that injured the two policemen providing security tyo the teachers.
Brigadier General Divino Rey Pabayo, Jr., Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the Abu Sayyaf bandits were enraged with the civilians for cooperating with the military authorities in Sulu.
“They were furious even to their own families whom they suspected of collaborating with our soldiers,” Pabayo added.
“The death of the two innocent children and the wounding of three others are indicative of the ASG’s desperate actions of sowing fear among the local populace. Hence, I urge the peace-loving Tausugs to strongly condemn this unIslamic and treacherous acts of the ASG. Let us remain firm with our resolve in putting an end to this senseless killing of innocent civilians,” Pabayo further said.
Lieutenant General Arnel Dela Vega, Westmincom chief, has condemned the terroristic acts of the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
“On behalf of the men and women of Westmincom, I would like to personally extend my condolences to the bereaved family of the innocent children who were slain by the terrorists,” Dela Vega said.
He vowed to intensify security operations to pursue the remaining Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu. (SunStar Philippines)