Janjalani escapes AFP dragnet

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Fugitive Abu Sayyaf leader Khaddafi Janjalani has reportedly escaped a military dragnet in a remote barangay in North Upi, Maguindanao.

Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said two bandits were killed and seven others wounded when troops raided the jungle hideout of the notorious Abu Sofia kidnap gang in Barangay Laguitan Tuesday night.

"There are information that the Abu Sofia were the ones who coddled Janjalani and his followers," he said.

There were no signs of Cotabato car dealer Norman Sia who was snatched by Pentagon gangmen in Cotabato City on Dec. 8, he added.

Lucero said the Abu Sofia is linked with the Pentagon kidnapping gang and a bunch of Abu Sayyaf bandits led by Janjalani.

An Abu Sofia squad met Janjalani and his men when they sneaked into Palembang, Sultan Kudarat sometime in July last year, he added.

Brig. Agustin Demaala, commander of the Army’s 301st Brigade, said troops from Task Force Tugis under Col. Felipe Tabas Jr. raided the Abu Sofia hideout after placing it under surveillance.

The firefight broke out about 8 p.m. and lasted for almost an hour as troops clashed with about 70 armed men, he added.

Maj. Onting Alon, acting spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said intelligence agents are verifying reports that the gunmen were led by Janjalani.

"We have also been receiving persistent feedback that Abdurakman Bedis, a close aide of Janjalani, was among the armed men who tried to land there," he said.

Police and military investigators said Janjalani’s band could have come from the Zamboanga peninsula or from Sulu.

Barangay leaders said the two slain bandits were teenagers, while seven of the wounded were Tausug-speaking.

Intelligence reports said Janjalani and 70 fully armed followers were earlier sighted near the Abu Sofia hideout.

Meanwhile, Marines killed an unidentified gunman who had fired at a military checkpoint in Zamboanga City Tuesday.

Investigations showed the man fired at the Marines when the jeepney he was riding was stopped at a checkpoint at Talon-Talon District at about 7:15 p.m.

The gunman jumped out of the jeepney as he fired but missed the Marines who had been manning the checkpoint, the report added.

Investigations showed the Marines cornered the gunman along Lemon Drive and shot him as he reportedly tried to fire again at them.

The jeepney was bound for the city proper when the incident took place. — Roel Pareño, John Unson, Jaime Laude, AFP