Army vows to provide PNP with manpower, resources in hunting down rogue rebel

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 27): Army vows to provide PNP with manpower, resources in hunting down rogue rebel

The Army here vowed Wednesday to provide the police with necessary manpower and resources in hunting down Central Mindanao's most wanted man.

Capt. Anthony Bulao, speaking for the 602nd Infantry Brigade, said the Army's 7th and 40th Infantry Battalion will provide the necessary Army personnel and resources in searching for Datukan Samad, who was wanted for murder, multiple murder and frustrated murder, bombings and highway robbery.

Samad, alias "Commander Lastikman," managed to elude arrest when lawmen, led by CIDG North Cotabato, raided his safe house in Barangay Tinibtiban, Pikit on Tuesday morning.

His follower, Ramon Bantolinay, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds when he fired approaching lawmen who immediately returned fire.

A policeman, SPO2 Christopher Soriano, was wounded in the ensuing encounter.

As the fighting intensified, Samad and some of his men fled with the civilians and left Bantolinay and three Armalite rifle.

Police took custody of Samad’s wife, who was cornered in one of the houses nearby.

"The wife is cooperating with us, he vowed to help the police in convincing her husband to surrender," Chief Inspector Elmer Guevara of North Cotabato's provincial CIDG office.

Last year, armed men allegedly to be members of the MILF, raided the Kidapawan City jail where Samad was detained for possession of explosives and firearms.

In that daring raid, three were killed, including a Red Cross volunteer.

He was moved to Midsayap, North Cotabato where he was also facing murder charges. The court transferred him to Maguindanao provincial jail in Cotabato City where he escaped last July 2012.

Bulao said the Army is mobilizing its intelligence agents to locate Samad wherever he goes.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=591333