Sayyaf leader wounded in encounter

MANILA, Philippines - The military reported that the leader of the Abu Sayyaf bandits that abducted three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers last Jan. 15 was wounded in an encounter with government troops yesterday in Barangay Timahu in Indanan, Sulu.

Brig. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan, Armed Forces Civil Relations Service chief, said that Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad and two of his followers were either injured or killed in fighting with the Marines.

Pangilinan said Red Cross workers Andreas Notter, a Swiss, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba were not with the 10-man group of bandits that clashed with the soldiers.

“So far, the hostages are safe. They were not in the small group who were trying to escape the cordon,” he said.

A military officer said the Abu Sayyaf tried to escape the military assault.

There were reports that military snipers fired at the bandits from a distance of about 400 meters.

A source said one of the snipers confirmed that Parad was among the suspects who were hit.

The source added that the other casualties were his followers who tried to retrieve his body.

Abu Sayyaf bandits abducted the Red Cross workers in Patikul, Sulu, while they were en route to the airport in Jolo for a flight back to Zamboanga City.

Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said the latest encounter between the soldiers and the kidnappers occurred at about 10:30 a.m.

Allaga said the military is still verifying reports that Parad was wounded and could be dead.

He said that he could not give any information on the condition of the hostages.

Allaga said there is no reported casualty among the Marines that encountered the group of Parad.

The Abu Sayyaf has suspended negotiations with the Task Force ICRC led by Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan, who turned down the demand to withdraw the Marines and police forces in Indanan. – With John Unson, Roel Pareño