Soldiers pursuing men of slain Abu Sofia gang leader

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Government forces are still pursuing the henchmen of the leader of the Abu Sofia kidnap gang who was killed in an hour-long firefight in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat last Thursday.

Lt. Col. Franklin del Prado, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said elements of the 601st Infantry Brigade, led by Col. Fred Cayton, have sealed all major entry and exit points in Palimbang in anticipation of retaliatory attacks by relatives and followers of slain Abu Sofia leader Bides Binago.

Binago, implicated in more than 30 kidnappings and known to have links with Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadafy Janjalani, and a Tausog follower were gunned down in an encounter in remote Barangay Lumitan.

Palimbang officials confirmed that eight of Binago’s henchmen, four of them Tausogs from Basilan, were wounded in the firefight.

Del Prado said Cayton and Palimbang Mayor Labualas Mamansual are jointly overseeing the pursuit of Binago’s other henchmen who were last seen fleeing toward the forested border of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani.

Del Prado said the soldiers who clashed with Binago’s group had been sent to Palimbang to investigate reports that residents of nine barangays there have been fleeing their homes for more than a week now due to the presence of Abu Sofia and Abu Sayyaf men in their communities.

As of last Wednesday, relief workers said at least 2,011 villagers have abandoned their homes.

Del Prado said Binago and his followers opened fire on the soldiers in Barangay Lumitan, triggering the hour-long firefight.

After the gunbattle, local officials positively identified one of the two men as Binago, Del Prado said.

Some of the evacuees are now staying in Barangays Pinol and Mindupok in Maitum, Sarangani. — With John Paul Jubelag