FLAGS flew at half staff yesterday at the military’s headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo and other military camps as the Armed Forces mourned for soldiers killed in clashes with the Abu Sayyaf in Patikul town in Sulu Monday.
Sporadic fighting was ongoing yesterday.
An updated number of military casualties showed 15 fatalities and 10 wounded. Initial reports on Monday night said there were 12 dead and five wounded.
The military vowed to bounce back from the “temporary setback.” Before the Monday clash, the military had the upper hand in the intensified operations against the kidnap-for-ransom group as it had killed 21 bandits in clashes since Thursday last week, without incurring any fatality.
On the Abu Sayyaf side, the military counted 30 dead, including six from the Monday clashes.
The death of the 15 soldiers is the largest in a single encounter since April 9 when 18 soldiers were killed during an assault on an Abu Sayyaf camp in Tipo-tipo town in Basilan.
The Basilan operation resulted in the capture of the camp. The military said 38 bandits died in the operation, including a Moroccan terrorist, but only a few enemy bodies were recovered by soldiers.
AFP chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya said the tragedy will not stop the military from pursuing its mission of defeating the Abu Sayyaf, which the military has around 480 members.
He asked ground commanders to keep the pressure on the Abu Sayyaf.
“We have all the time. Keep the pressure on the enemy until they wear out. Just ensure they won’t be able to leave the island and we will be triumphant in the end,” he said.
The latest fighting broke out in Sitio Kan Jalul at around 4:30 a.m. Monday, National Heroes Day. The clash involved troops from the 35th and 21st Infantry Battalions and about 120 Abu Sayyaf men led by Radullan Sahiron.
“This is just temporary setback,” said Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the AFP public affairs office. “We will continue (with the operation), we will press on, we will employ all assets of government, of the Armed Forces.”
“We have fresh troops. The enemy will grow tired and weary and probably run short of ammunition, manpower in due time. The Armed Forces have those... We are hopeful, and we should be, in the end the one victorious,” said Arevalo.
Tan said two other armed encounters with the Abu Sayyaf took place last Monday. The first occurred at around 1:50 p.m. against 30 Abu Sayyaf men in Sitio Kugan, Barangay Bakung also in Patikul.
The 30-minute firefight left two Abu Sayyaf men dead and several severely wounded, including sub-leader Jamir Jawong Jauhari, said Tan.
The second clash occurred at around 3:42 p.m. against 80 bandits in Barangay Kuttong in Talipao town.
The 30-minute clash left four Abu Sayyaf men dead and two soldiers wounded.
Tan said the Abu Sayyaf suffered 24 dead during last Thursday’s encounter in Patikul, up by three from last Monday’s figure.
Tan said this brought to 30 the number of Abu Sayyaf men slain during the renewed campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, including the six terrorists who were killed in last Monday’s clash.
FATALITIES
The slain soldiers included 2Lt. Ernan Gusto, platoon leader at the Army’s 35th Infantry Battalion. The others were S/Sgt Ruel Catubay; Sgt. Jay Erwin Almohallas; Corporals Omar Raddulan, Ronald Galoniga, Elid Ismael, Salik Mandangan; Privates First Class Nestor Bacaling, Jison Falcasantos, Gerald Yubal, Dhendo Dujo, Roselito Arnoco, Glend Resma, Rogelio Vincoy; and Pvt. Jonas Lumayan.
Arevalo said the 15 died in an engagement, downplaying talks the soldiers were ambushed.
“It’s really an encounter. It’s just that they clashed with a large group (of Abu Sayyaf men). The report that reached us is they clashed with 120 fully-armed ASG terrorists,” said Arevalo.
“We have been saying that the enemy is not an ordinary enemy… We definitely have the superiority of training, superiority of armaments but they are not giving our soldiers an easy fight,” said Arevalo.
Arevalo said government troops remain determined in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf which is keeping around 20 foreign and Filipino hostages in Sulu. The previous Aquino administration also tried, but failed, to defeat the Abu Sayyaf.
President Duterte has said he wants the Abu Sayyaf destroyed during his term.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella yesterday said President Duterte wants the Abu Sayyaf Group “terminated as soon as possible.”
“Well, definitely the President is focused on making sure that the threat from the Abu Sayyaf Group should be terminated as soon as possible,” he said but said no definite timeline was set.
Tan said “more troops, more equipment and more firepower will be committed to destroy the ASG.”
CLOSE-QUARTERS BATTLE
AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla belied insinuations the troops were ambushed.
“Hinahabol kasi nila (yung Abu Sayyaf), eager yung mga tropa natin na maka-score uli dahil sunod-sunod yung score natin. E ang problema, nabanga kasi nila yung malaking grupo na. Hindi nila na-anticipate yun,” said Padilla.
On whether there was a lapse on the part of the troops, Padilla said: “That is the subject for the field commanders to check, not us (in Camp Aguinaldo).”
Pressed if there is already an ongoing investigation into the incident, Padilla said it is not the time to find fault.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/afp-chief-tells-troops-wear-out-abu-sayyaf
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