Troops corner Sayyaf in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Government troops have cornered some 300 Abu Sayyaf gunmen following last Friday’s clashes that left five soldiers and scores of the bandits dead in Talipao, Sulu.

Capt. Ma. Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), yesterday said intelligence reports revealed many from the Abu Sayyaf were killed and wounded during the encounter.

Troops from the Army’s 1st Scout Ranger Company headed by Lt. Michael Asistores were reported to have killed 30 bandits.

Five soldiers, however, were killed during the clashes. The bandits reportedly decapitated some of the slain soldiers.

Muyuela added the troops are expected to inflict more damage to the Abu Sayyaf in their pursuit operations.

“This is a good opportunity because the soldiers cornered the group. We believe that because of this we will have a good accomplishment in the law enforcement operation,” Muyuela said.

Government forces began their assault with air strikes on known Abu Sayyaf positions using attack helicopters.

Sulu Joint Task Group (JTG) commander Col. Allan Arojado declared the bandits have nowhere to hide.

Arojado confirmed more than 30 bandits were killed, with 10 of them so far identified, including Hairulla Asbang, the brother-in-law of bandit group leader Radullah Sahiron, and Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Juli Ekit.

According to Arojado, the bandits were seen with two European hostages.

He said the troops were able to overrun the Abu Sayyaf position at about 3 a.m. yesterday with troops now pursuing the gunmen at Sitio Kan Amat, Barangay Bagsak, Patikul.

“More or less 100 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf led by Sahiron along with kidnap victims Ewold Horn, 52, and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, were spotted in the area, with some of them are still nursing gunshot wounds,” Arojado said.

Horn and Vinciguerra were abducted by unidentified gunmen in February 2012 while on a bird watching activity in Tawi-Tawi. The two later ended in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

Arrojado also ordered all medical facilities in Sulu to be put under guard following attempts by the bandit group to have their wounded treated.

Aside from 15 confirmed wounded, dozens of the Abu Sayyaf who were injured in the fighting are now reportedly seeking medical attention, he said.

Arojado reported that aside from five soldier fatalities, the encounter last Friday’ in Mt. Bunga, Talipao also left 28 soldiers wounded, mostly from the Army’s 1st Scout Ranger company.

Asistores, who was among the wounded, said one of his men was forced to initiate contact when an Abu Sayyaf gunman approached his position to urinate.

“It was my recon elements led by Lt. Dante Espiritu who spotted the bandits in a makeshift hut. He radioed to me that they will initiate contact as one of the bandits unknowingly approached their position to relieve himself,” he said.

Unknown to the troops, the surrounding hills were occupied by around 300 Abu Sayyaf gunmen headed by Sahiron, Hairull Asbang, Jurim Hussein, Hatib Sawadjaan and Juli Ekit.

Asistores said Espiritu called for reinforcements minutes into the fighting.

Muyuela said the wounded troopers were flown to Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City.

Muyuela confirmed the US military also assisted in the airlift of the wounded soldiers in a “Evergreen” helicopter.

Two other soldiers were transferred to a private hospital for major surgery.

“The wounded soldiers were declared to be all in stable condition and have been undergoing continuous treatment,” Muyuela said.

Malacañang yesterday extended its condolences to the families of the soldiers killed in the encounter with the Abu Sayyaf.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also said the government would provide assistance to the families of the slain soldiers. – Jaime Laude, Aurea Calica