Thursday, August 20, 2015

Disarray, panic brought by military offensive allowed 2 Coast Guard men to escape from ASG

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 20): Disarray, panic brought by military offensive allowed 2 Coast Guard men to escape from ASG

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) attributed the successful escape of the two Coast Guard personnel to the disarray and panic that hit the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) ranks when pounded by units of Joint Task Group Sulu Wednesday.

Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP public affairs office chief, said that this was statement given by SN2 Gringo Villaluz and SN1 Rod Pagaling to rescuing military units.

"During the height of the firefight, the ASG ranks were in disarray, giving opportunity for Villaluz and Pagaling to escape from their captors," he said in Filipino.

Adding to the panic of the bandits were the heavy volume of fire poured on them by attacking military units which include artillery support.

And during their escape, Detoyato said the escaping Coast Guard personnel became separated.

Villaruz was found at the vicinity of Buansa, Indanan, Sulu at around 7 a.m. Thursday while Pagaling was found around the same area an hour later.

The two Coast Guard personnel were abducted by the ASG with Rodolfo Buligao, barangay captain of Aliguay, last May 4.

Buligao’s body was found last Aug. 11 in Barangay Laum Maimbung, Sulu after he was mercilessly beheaded when their abductors’ demands were not met.

"The AFP is continuously conducting focused military operations which resulted to the series of encounters with members of New People’s Army and ASG within the past two days," Detoyato stressed.

Last Wednesday, 15 ASG bandits were killed while five high powered firearms, a substance believed to be “shabu” and an improvised explosive device (IED) were recovered in Sitio Marang, Barangay Buansa, Indanan, Sulu after some 200 ASGs engaged the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion.

Five bodies, believed to be members of ASG, were recovered in the area.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=795144

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