A VILLAGER, who was taken as human shield, was killed in a Saturday dawn clash between government forces and armed men in the town of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
The clash ensued as the pursuing troops caught the fleeing armed group around 4:30 a.m. Saturday in the village of Dionisio Riconalla, Siocon town.
Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula director, said that at the height of the firefight on Saturday, the gunmen took hostage three villagers and made them as human shields.
Senior Superintendent Edwin Buenaventura Wagan, Zamboanga del Norte police director, said two of the three hostages were safely rescued by the troopers but one was killed in the crossfire.
He identified those safely rescued as Marjun Alanao, 29 and Carlo Cariño, 23. Killed was Ronie Tangupan.
Wagan said that the presence of lawless elements in Barangay Dionisio Riconalla was reported to them by a villager.
He said they are conducting investigation to determine whether the armed group is affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
The same group was involved in a skirmish with government forces last Tuesday, May 30, in the village of Doña Cecilla, Sirawai, a neighboring town of Siocon.
Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, said that some 40 families from four sitios of Dionisio Riconalla village evacuated to safer areas.
Galvez said the Siocon police have already coordinated with the Municipal Government to provide the necessary assistance to the evacuees.