Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Barangay official tagged in Sulu ambush that killed women, kids

From Rappler (Jul 29): Barangay official tagged in Sulu ambush that killed women, kids

Sulu has been witness to recent bloody incidents involving the Abu Sayyaf, but the ambush shocked government officials and security forces especially since it happened while Muslims all over the world were observing Eid al-Fitr

SURVIVOR: A government health worker attends to a survivor of the July 28 ambush that killed at least 23 in Talipao, Sulu. Photo by Ben Hajan/EPA
SURVIVOR: A government health worker attends to a survivor of the July 28 ambush that killed at least 23 in Talipao, Sulu. Photo by Ben Hajan/EPA

The Sulu provincial government tagged an unnamed barangay official as a possible suspect in the Sulu ambush that killed 23 on Monday, July 28, an incident that now appears to be the result of rido or clan war.

The barangay official supposedly worked with the Abu Sayyaf, which the military said is behind the ambush.

Among the victims are women, children as young as 2, and the elderly, with one as old as 85.

"We condemn the barbaric act of the perpetrators, the suspects of which are some followers or supporters of a certain barangay official in cooperation with suspected Abu Sayyaf members, who ambushed and massacred and killed at least 23 passengers, mostly women and children," Governor Abdusakur "Totoh" Tan II and his father Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan said in a joint statement issued by the provincial Public Information Office.

Sulu has been witness to recent bloody incidents involving the Abu Sayyaf, but the ambush shocked government officials and security forces especially because it happened while Muslims all over the world were observing Eid al-Fitr. It also coincided with the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III.

The victims were aboard a Tamaraw vehicle when they were ambushed in Barangay Lower Talipao in Sulu's Talipao town. They were supposed to join festivities in neighboring Maimbong town.

"This is very un-Islamic and very satanic, after going through the holy month of Ramadan, even animals could hardly inflict damage of such magnitude," Tan added.

'Difficult to comprehend'

The military earlier tagged Abu Sayyaf leaders Indang Susukan and Sibih Pisih as behind the ambush. The assumption was they were after the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) that was with the convoy.

On the ground, however, there have been talks of rido or a clan war.

Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also hinted of a rido. He said it's the first time it happened on Eid al-Fitr. "Kung meron kang kaaway, halimbawa lang, granting lang kaaway mo, hindi mo na maiwasan ang araw na yan? Kapag may bata, may babae? Ang point ko, talagang wala sa lugar at beyond sa comprehension ng normal na tao itong pangyayaring ito," Hataman said in an interview in Basilan.

"Napaka-signipikante ng araw. Tapos inosenteng babae. Kaya mahirap mo nang unawain na mayroon silang pinaglalaban dahil ang ganitong situwasyon ay mahirap mong i-comprehend. (It is a very significant day and they killed innocent children. It's difficult to understand that they are fighting for a cause. It's difficult to comprehend)," he added.

Pursuit operations against the identified Abu Sayyaf members are now a priority, according to the miltiary. The police also augmented its personnel in Talipao.

Victims

The victims include children as young as 2 and people as old as 85. The police identified 21 of the 23 fatalities as the following:

Padzma Hasan, 32

Misyaar Hassan, 14

Maida Hasan, 35

Jirmalyn Hasa, 15

Dadah Palahuddin, 85

Mura Ahadan, 60

Jainab Ajid, 50

Milina Ahadan, 15

Miriam Binhur, 19

Nurfaisa Gappar, 14

Dayang Ahadan, 19

Tata Isahac, 40

Risalyn Isahac, 7

Saik Ajid, 45

Said Palahuddin, 35

Abdul Julhari, 83

Baris Julhair, 19

Abdukahal Ahadan, 19

Abdulrahim Isahac Omar, 2

Termiji Tambrin, 3

Tambrin Ahadani, 45

Sulu has been witness to recent bloody incidents involving the Abu Sayyaf and government troops. Only last May, at least 11 were killed, including 7 Marines, in an encounter between the Abu Sayyaf and the Marines.

Previous to this, 14 members of the Abu Sayyaf were killed in an encounter with the military.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/64703-sulu-ambush-barangay-official

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