The military said Marine commando units leading the offensive encountered small groups of Abu Sayyaf bandits in the mountains surrounding Patikul, Sulu, indicating they have split to divert the troops pursuing them.
Anti-terror Task Force Comet chief Brig. Gen. Ruben Rafael said troops under the 3rd Marine Brigade are now pursuing the main group led by Radullan Sahiron and Umbra Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula.
"The Marine forces continued to trail (them) and assessed (the enemy) to be within striking distance," Rafael said.
Government troops continued the offensive after killing 10 bandits and capturing two others during an encounter Thursday in the area.
Three Marines were reported killed during the one-hour gun battle with the rebels.
One of them was identified as Cpl. Enrico dela Cruz who died while trying to save his two comrades wounded during the encounter.
It turned out, however, that one of the Marines of the 9th Special Operations Platoon who was reported killed during the firefight was found alive although badly wounded.
An Abu Sayyaf rebel also wounded during the firefight was brought to an Army camp for treatment, the military said.
This brought to three the captured bandits and nine killed in the firefight.
The military identified one of the captured bandits as Alpin Sahibul, son of Abu Sayyaf subleader Tandah Sahibul under the group of Sahiron.
Navy chief Vice Admiral Rogelio Calunsag said more Marines will be deployed to consolidate the troops pursuing the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi.
"That is the purpose of this - for us to have a heightened, sustained operation," Calunsag said.
At least two Marine brigades are currently deployed in Sulu along with several Army battalions.
With the deployment of the 1st Marine brigade in Basilan, the entire Marine force is now concentrated on the two island provinces.
Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Nelson Allaga said the Abu Sayyaf are in disarray following the death of Abu Solaiman.
"With the deployment of another brigade in Basilan, the bandits will have no more place to escape," Allaga said.
On Tuesday, troops in Talipao, Sulu killed Solaiman, who is on the US and Philippine most-wanted lists and with a $5-million bounty on his head from Washington.
Solaiman, an engineer whose real name is Jainal Antel Sali Jr., masterminded some of the most deadly terror attacks and kidnappings in the Philippines. These include the firebombing of SuperFerry 14 in February 2004, killing 116 people in the second deadliest terror attack in Southeast Asia, and the abduction of three Americans and 17 Filipino tourists and workers from a resort in Palawan in 2001.
President Arroyo vowed to finish off the Abu Sayyaf with "a hand of steel" and promised to work with the United States "to tighten the dragnet and stop the movement of terrorists, their finances and their deadly materiel across the seas and borders."
"Likewise, we look at the US as a valuable ally and partner, which provides us valuable training and intelligence information," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.
Bunye added the killing of Solaiman and other top terror leaders indicated the Abu Sayyaf is "nearing the end of the line." — With John Unson, Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude, Paolo Romero, AP