Map of Sulu
(UPDATE, 3:40 P.M) The military operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group that began Wednesday and resulted in the rescue of two Coast Guard personnel and the death of 15 bandits continued Thursday, amid a claim by an Armed Forces spokesman that some Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members were beefing up the ASG.
Malacañang Palace commended the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the operations, which began with a major offensive targeting an ASG stronghold on Wednesday to rescue hostages, including the two PCG men seized in May.
"We commend the AFP' Task Force Sulu for conducting operations that have led to the fleeing from captivity of two Coast Guard personnel, namely Seaman First Class Rodlyn Pagaling and Seaman Second Class Gringo Villaruz," said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in a statement.
Coloma quoted PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo as saying the two men were abducted about 2 a.m. last May 4 at the barangay hall near the port area of Barangay Aliguay in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
Captain Roy Trinidad, chief of staff of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said Pagaling and Villaruz slipped through the flank of Abu Sayyaf gunmen who were withdrawing during a heavy firefight with assaulting troops in Barangay Buanza, Indanan town.
It was in the same village where the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion began its assault, killing 15 gunmen and reportedly wounding scores more, while losing one soldier, with almost 10 others injured.
“The two PCG personnel were rescued by assaulting soldiers at around 7 a.m. today. Before the contact, our operating troops had started to maneuver as early as around 6 a.m.,” Trinidad said.
He said Pagaling and Villaruz were immediately brought to a hospital by a medical team.
“Firefight is ongoing and we’ve yet to get confirmatory reports on the ground about the casualties on the side of the bandits,” Trinidad said, adding that “dozens” of Abu Sayyaf fighters were involved in the fighting.
Pagaling and Villaruz were abducted with Rodolfo Boligao, chairman of the island barangay of Aliguay, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, were abducted in May.
On August 11, the ASG beheaded Boligao and his body was found in Maimbung, Sulu.
MNLF men joined Abu forces - military
A military spokesman said Thursday some Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members identified with the Nur Misuari faction had joined some 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits in Wednesday’s heavy firefight with soldiers in Indanan, Sulu, that led to the rescue of two Coast Guard men whom the ASG had seized in May.
“Meron talagang nakahalo dun sir. Kasi unang-una, paano nakapunta ‘yung ASG sa community nila, dun nakatambay [Some MNLF elements were mixed with thhem, sir. In the first place, how could the ASG men have ended up, and roamed, in their community]?” asked Captain Antonio Bulao of the Joint Task Group Sulu in a phone interview. He was replying to queries of some MNLF presence in the Abu area and the encounter site.
At least 15 Abu Sayyaf bandits and one soldier were killed; scores were wounded on both sides after hostilities flared past 5 p.m. Wednesday in the vicinity of the MNLF community in Baragnay Bauzan.
Five of the ASG fatalities were recovered, said Bolao, while soldiers were still trying to bring out their bodies from the war zone. Bolao explained this wasn't easy, "because there are so many MNLF men in the community. The encounter happened right in the vicinity of the MNLF community.”
He could not say, though, if some of the recovered bodies were MNLF members.
The Scout Ranger and Infantry were still in hot pursuit Thursday, operations that led to the rescue of Seaman 1st Class Rod Pagaling and Seaman 2nd Class Gringo Villaruz, the two PCG men seized in May by the ASG together with Rodolfo Boligo, chairman of Barangay Aliguay, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
The bandits earlier beheaded Boligao, whose body was found August 11 in Maimbung, Sulu.
Pagaling and Villaruz were able to escape from their guards in the middle of the firefight, and were rescued unharmed by assaulting Scout Rangers, Bolao said.
“Based on their statement there were six of them there in ASG captivity,” Bolao said.
Among the remaining four kidnap victims still in the hands of the ASG were a Malaysian and a Korean.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/116328/2-kidnapped-coast-guard-men-escape-as-soldiers-press-attack-vs-abu-sayyaf-in-sulu
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.