2 Abus killed in Basilan clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – Two suspected Abu Say-yaf bandits were killed while three soldiers were wounded in an encounter in Tuburan, Basilan at dawn yesterday.

The fatalities were identified as Abdulhasan Yusop Sanajalun, alias Bullet, and Halid Calbie.

Sanajalun was said to be the leader of the Abu Sayyaf’s urban terror group.

Capt. Dennis Nolasco, spokesman for Joint Task Group Basilan (JTGB), said the soldiers recovered an M653 rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades, air guns, ammunition, phones and personal belongings from the slain militants.

Nolasco said a team of military and police officers were out to serve a warrant for Sanajalun’s arrest in Barangay Colonia, Lamitan City when a group of bandits shot at them and fled.

The team pursued the gunmen and caught up with them in Barangay Sinangkapan in Tuburan, where a 30-minute firefight occurred.

The bandits fled, leaving behind their slain comrades.

Col. Rolando Joselito Bautista, chief of JTGB and of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade, said the bandits had planned to stage bomb attacks in Lamitan City. 

Bautista said Sanajalun, who also uses the aliases Rhey Cuebas Santos, Arjan Sapii and Abdulhasan Tannajul, had standing warrants for kidnapping and serious illegal detention issued by a Zamboanga City judge.

The military said the slain militant was involved in the assassination of police and military personnel, businessmen and foreigners. 

Nolasco said Sanajalun’s group was involved in extortion and in the kidnapping of three employees of a construction firm in Akbar town in January. – With Alexis Romero