2 Abus killed in Basilan
Two more rebels were found dead following a clash with Army special forces in Basilan on Thursday, an official said Friday.
Brig. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, Special Forces commander, identified the slain local terrorists as Soler Ikung and Jalil Ordonez, whose bodies were found by troops searching the area.
This brings to three the number of Abu Sayyaf members who were killed in the battle.
One Abu Sayyaf member, Ayob Ikung, had earlier been confirmed slain in the incident after his body was recovered in the encounter site during clearing operations.
The encounter broke out at around
Ortiz said that all three were former followers of notorious Abu Sayyaf commander Hamsiraji Sali, killed four years ago also in an encounter with government forces.
SF troops are now in hot pursuit of the present leader of the slain extremists, Enteng Adjil, allegedly one of those who bolted the Basilan provincial jail in July.
Adjil managed to slip along with six other followers during the chance encounter.
“The troops believe that the escaping Abu Sayyaf militants slipped through the dense jungle of Sampinit and sought refuge in the area,” said Maj. Eugene Batara, Spokesman of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).
At least five battalions of Marines and Army troops as well as elements of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Special Operations Wing (SPOW) are now deployed in the island province to fight the Abu Sayyaf. –Jaime Laude, Roel Pareno, AFP
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