ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — One of the 14 soldiers wounded in a clash with the Abu Sayyaf in Patikul, Sulu last Friday has died, bringing the number of troops killed in the firefight to 12.
Maj. Arvin John Encinas, spokesman of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the soldier, who was among two who were critically wounded and brought to Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City, died on Monday morning.
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Encinas said the trooper, described only as an enlisted soldier, was from Northern Luzon. The soldier's family has already been informed.
He said the remains of the fallen soldier will be airlifted to Manila following funeral honors on Tuesday.
Encinas said the other wounded soldier being treated in CNGH is still recovering. Another 12 wounded soldiers are confined at the Military Station Hospital in Camp Gen. Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo, Sulu.
Encinas said pursuit and clearing operation in the mountain of Barangay Danag, Patikul, the scene of the bloody encounter last Friday, continue.
Westmincom also dismissed video footage that has circulated after the clash as an old clip.
Encinas said the footage is of an incident in 2016 and is being spread by the terrorist group on social media.
"In the footage, you noticed that foreigner who was among with them, he is already dead. He was a suicide bomber. And the dead soldier whose head was being cut in the last portion of the footage was wearing the old uniform and we are not donning that type of uniforms anymore, so it’s an old footage the terrorists are trying to use as propaganda to terrorize people," Encinas said.