Troops pursue Abus as Patikul death toll hits 14

From the Daily Tribune (May 27): Troops pursue Abus as Patikul death toll hits 14

Marine troops have launched intensified security operations in pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf band that clashed with government forces in Patikul, Sulu province last Saturday that resulted in the killing of seven soldiers and seven extremists, including a son of a notorious ASG commander.

Col. Jose Johriel Cenabre, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade operating in Sulu, yesterday said security in the province has been heightened as Marine troops continuously track down the ASG band of Hatib Sawadjaan, a notorious Abu Sayyaf commander.

“Right now, we are still pursuing, tracking the Abu Sayyaf bandits. We will continue to operate against these terrorists. We have intensified our security operations in the area to track them down,” he stressed.

Cenabre said Sawadjaan, who is considered among the “high value targets” in Sulu, was among the Abu Sayyaf bandits present in Barangay Tugas where the encounter erupted.

“He is gaining notoriety for his illegal activities…he is considered among high value targets. He is in the higher echelon of the ASG…he is becoming like the previous leaders of the Abu Sayyaf like Commander Robot and Doctor Abu,” he added. But there was no confirmation of the presence of Sawadjaan in the encounter site but his son, identified as Kausar Sawadjaan, was among the seven ASG killed during the clash.

According to Cenabre, Saturday’s intense fighting along the vicinities of Barangay Tugas in Patikul was as result of intelligence reports of the presence of around 50 armed Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the area.

“There was intelligence report that more than 50 Abu Sayyaf members were consolidating in the area, so we launched the operation…unfortunately, we lost seven Marines in the process,” he said.

Two more Abu Sayyaf fighters were found dead, adding to the five militants reported killed in the first day of fighting, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, for his part, said.

“After the firefight, a scouring operation was conducted and a pursuit operation was launched,” he said, adding that was how they found the new fatalities.

The Marines were hunting down Abu Sayyaf members believed responsible for a spate of abductions of local residents including a Marine’s wife when the clash broke out, Tutaan said.

Although there were no new clashes yesterday, Tutaan said helicopter gunships were now on standby, ready to reinforce the troops if they should encounter the Abu Sayyaf again.

The Abu Sayyaf, funded using seed money from al-Qaeda in the 1990s, is blamed for the country’s worst terror attacks, including the firebombing of a ferry in Manila Bay and kidnappings of foreign tourists.

The group is on the US government’s list of foreign terrorist organizations.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Marine Corps will accord a heroes’ welcome today to the seven fallen Marines at the PMC Headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.

Yesterday, arrival honors were given to the seven fallen Marines upon their arrival at the Villamor Air Base from Zamboanga.

“There will be heroes to be given to the killed in action..their families will be there…benefits entitled to them will be turned over to the family,” said 1Lt. Vladimir Cabrera, spokesman of the Marines.  

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/14598-troops-pursue-abus-as-patikul-death-toll-hits-14