MNLF member killed in Basilan encounter

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A member of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was killed in an encounter with the Army’s Special Forces Wednesday midnight in hinterland of Isabela City, Basilan.

The military official said that troops of the 4th Special Forces Battalion were taking respite after pursuing the Abu Sayyaf group in the mountain of Masola when unidentified gunmen fired at them around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, deputy commander of the Joint Task Force Zambasulta said the troops retaliated and fired towards the gunmen’s direction.

The troops scoured the encounter site the following morning and discovered a dead body of one of the gunmen who harassed them.

Recovered from the site was a carbine rifle.

“Initial information stated that the casualty was an MNLF member,” Trinidad said.

The commander of the Joint Task Group Basilan Col. Joselito Bautista immediately coordinated with the government’s ad hoc joint action group (AHJAG) through Brig. Gen. Carlito Galvez to inform their MNLF counterpart of the incident.

Bautista also instructed the 4th Special Forces Battalion to inform the MNLF in the area about their ongoing law enforcement operation against the Abu Sayyaf group to avoid similar incident in the future.