Two Abus neutralized; two firearms recovered by Special Forces in Sulu

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.”