CAFGU man, 3 civilians hurt in attack on Lamitan City detachment
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A government militiaman and three civilians — among them his relatives — were wounded Sunday night in an attack by armed men on a Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit outpost in a remote village of Lamitan City, Basilan.
Injured in the attack by the armed group were Romy Mangkabung of the CAFGU Active Auxiliary, his wife and a 10-year-old nephew. Also injured was the wife of another militia member.
Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of Joint Task Force Basilan and of the 101st Infantry Brigade, said the attack happened on a patrol base of the 18th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Sabong, a remote village of Lamitan City near the border of Tipo-Tipo town. CAAs are volunteers who serve alongside the military but are not considered on full active duty.
Gobway said he believes that an armed group led by Abaas Jangkatan and Saddam Siddick and that has been operating along the boundary of Lamitan is behind the attack. He said the attackers had taken positions east of the patrol base and fired at the detachment around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
CAA members, including Mangkabung, fired back and the armed men withdrew after a five-minute firefight.
"Mangkabung and three civilian dependents were injured in the harassment," Gobway said.
Reinforcements from the 18th IB brought the wounded to the Lamitan City District Hospital for treatment and launched a pursuit operation against the attackers.
Gobway said the attack is believed to have been retaliation for the "neutralization" of a certain "Tarzan" and three others in an operation in Barangay Baas, which is near the Sabong patrol base. He said the armed group is not connected to the Abu Sayyaf group, which also operates in the area.
"The CAA from Sabong patrol base were suspected by the lawless elements group to have participated in the operation against them and rido (clan feud or vendetta) is the possible motive of the incident," Gobway said. — The STAR/Roel Pareño
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