Police identify armed group in Sulu ambush

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Police have identified the armed group which ambushed a team of the police Special Action Force (SAF) last Thursday, killing four people, including a municipal police chief, a police official said yesterday.

“We have identified the group and the possible mastermind in the ambush. We are going to implement the full force of the law,” said Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra, Sulu police director.

The ambush in Barangay Lahing-Lahing, Omar town resulted in the killing of Omar police chief Inspector Nasiruddin Jailani, SAF members PO1s Ferdinand Gumiran and Bander Majidul, and a civilian, and the wounding of five others. 

Freyra clarified that the SAF team was not securing the convoy of Omar Mayor Firhana Mohammad when they were waylaid by heavily armed men identified with a political warlord.

He said the SAF men were in the town for peacekeeping, and the mayor’s group merely joined their convoy, until the ambush took place.