By Jong Cadion
ZAMBOANGA
CITY (March 16, 2018) - As troops continue their pursuit operation on the
fleeing Abu Sayyaf members under Radulan Sahiron who were engaged by the 5th
Scout Ranger Battalion in Patikul, Sulu last Tuesday (Marcy 13), blocking
troops belonging to the 5th Special Forces Company led by Lieutenant Bahillo
encountered undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf members in Brgy Latih of same
municipality Wednesday afternoon (March 14), military official said.
Western
Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) Cpt Jo-Ann D. Petinglay disclosed that the almost
one hour firefight that started at 12noon resulted to the death of two Abu
Sayyaf members and the recovery of one R4A3 rifle; one M203 Grenade launcher;
two cellular phones; and a back pack with personal belongings. Soldiers scoured
the area after the Abus ran towards different directions.
“We
immediately sent two Special Forces teams and CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA)
members as reinforcements of our troops at the area of encounter,” said
Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu.
“Our
supporting units also provided artillery rounds towards the target upon the
request of the troops who have eye-ball on the enemy’s location.”
“They found
a dead body lying in the area of encounter, who was later identified by the
brgy officials in the community as a certain Roger Samlahon, a notorious Urban
Terrorist Group member who was involved in snatching of kidnap victims in Jolo
Proper,” added Sobejana.
“We will
still give him a decent burial, we are just waiting for the officials of the
Brgy to claim the bodies.
We also
learned that another Abu died from the firefight, but we are still on the
process of knowing where he was buried.”
The
recovered items including the body of the slain enemy were brought to the
headquarters of the JTF Sulu for proper disposition, Cpt Petinglay added.
Cpt
Petinglay further said that at 1pm on that day, 2 assault helicopters took off
to provide aerial support to the operating soldiers. Later that afternoon, more
assault aircrafts also proceeded to the area for aerial maneuvers.
“We will
give our soldiers the best of our assets as they continue to sustain the
operations in pursuing the Abu Sayyaf Group who are still on the run as of this
time while dragging along their kidnap victims,” said Lieutenant General
Carlito G Galvez, Jr., Commander of the Western Mindanao Command.
“It is our
priority to rescue the kidnap victims thus our soldiers are very very careful
in their movements and bombardments.”
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