4 civilians, cop, MILF reb killed in attack

Six persons were killed while three others were wounded in a dawn assault staged by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in one of the coastal villages of Kalamansig town in Sultan Kudarat yesterday.

Of the six fatalities, four were civilians, a local cop and an MILF rebel, Maj. Armand Rico, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesman said.

Rico identified the slain civilians as Polinio Alberio, 46; Reynan Cabarobias, 60; Diosdado Cortado, 55; and Edgar Cortado, 20.

The policeman and MILF rebel killed in the early morning fighting at Barangay Sangay were not identified by Rico.

MILF attackers also shot and wounded three local villagers. Evacuated to the hospital for gunshot wounds were Joeyboy Bartolome, Jesusa Araniego and Danilo Gonzaga.

On their withdrawal, the rouge MILF fighters took as hostages Barangay (Sangay) Kagawad Luis Colao and Luis Suma. As of press time, the fate of the two hostages remain unknown.

“The MILF are killing people wantonly,” Rico said, adding that Army troops from the 64th Infantry Battalion to include an attack helicopter, were deployed in the area.

Rico, quoting Kalamsig Mayor Rolando Garcia, said that as of 4 p.m. yesterday, tension had already subsided in the area. – Jaime Laude, Ramil Bajo