Soldiers kill 2 bandits in Zambo encounter

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Two suspected leaders of a bandit group tagged as responsible for the 2012 massacre of six civilians were killed in an encounter with government troops in the coastal town of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur, military officials said yesterday.

Soldiers from the 44th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr. clashed with the bandits last Thursday at Sitio Gunsuli in Barangay Danganan, according to Maj. Edgardo  Amores, spokesman of the Army’s 1st Division.

Amores said the fighting that lasted for more than 30 minutes left Amih Andi and Ambak Magusan alias Imbok dead.

“The bandits retreated toward unknown direction,” Barroquillo said.

Troops were immediately deployed to track down the escaping bandits, he added.

Military officials said Andi and his group were tagged in the killing of six persons and wounding of eight others in Barangay Tininghalang, Lapuyan town in February 2012.

The Lapuyan municipality and the provincial government have offered P300,000 bounty for Andi’s arrest.

Authorities said the group was engaged in extortion activities victimizing fishermen in Lapuyan town and adjacent municipalities.

Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, commander of Army 1st Division, lauded the vigilance of the civilians leading to the neutralization of the leaders of the bandit group.

Meanwhile, another bandit was killed in a firefight with soldiers in the nearby town of Margosatubig, also in Zamboanga del Sur.

Authorities identified the fatality as Rasul Manguda, said to be a notorious extortionist in the area.

Manguda has a warrant of arrest for murder issued by the Regional Trial Court of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay.