Cop wounded in Sulu ambush

From the Mindanao Examiner (Oct 1, 2021): Cop wounded in Sulu ambush

One policeman was wounded in an ambush Friday evening in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, police said.

It said the ambushers attacked a police patrol in the village of Tagbak in Indanan and wounded a member of the 1402nd Regional Mobile Force Battalion. At least six policemen headed by Patrolman Sanaani Julmunir were in the patrol vehicle and heading to Maimbung town when gunmen ambushed them at around 7:30.

Police have identified the wounded only by his rank and name as Patrolman Ibrahim who was rushed to hospital in the capital town of Jolo, about 15 kilometers away.

There was no report of enemy casualties, but security forces were deployed in the town to hunt down the ambushers.

“Upon receipt of the information elements of Indanan municipal police station led by Major Edwin Sapa, the chief of police; Special Action Force, 1st and 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Companies, Maimbung police station, Regional Mobile Force Battalion, and AFP counterpart proceeded to the area to reinforce, but the suspects fled toward unknown direction upon seeing the responding team. Furthermore, ongoing clearing operation and hot pursuit is conducted,” a police report said.

The motive of the attack was not immediately known and no individual or group claimed responsibility for the ambush. The pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf is actively operating in Indanan town, however, it was unclear whether it had anything to do with the attack.

The ambush has broken the tranquility in the province whose economy is recovering from the crunch of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sulu only has 25 active Covid-19 cases.

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