COTABATO CITY – Abu Sayyaf rebels ambushed a military convoy on Wednesday in the southern Filipino province of Sulu and killing two army commanders and an infantry man.
The ambush in Patikul town also wounded at least 6 soldiers, but military and police officials did not release any information into the daring attack that occurred on a highway in the village of Pansul.
The attack occurred the same day after Philippine military chief General Gregorio Catapang inspected troops in the province.
Mindanao Examiner sources in the province said two lieutenants and one sergeant were slain in the attack. And sources identified the wounded as Sergeant Julieto Payumo, Privates First Class Ramil Akiatan, Je-ar Sumagang, Nasser Adian, Samuel Quinones and Corporal Carlos Baguio.
The soldiers were on three trucks – two KM450 and one M35 – when rebels detonated a roadside bomb and then opened fire on security forces. The ambush sparked a firefight between troops and rebels and only stopped after military reinforcement arrived to rescue the embattled soldiers.
The troops came from an inspection and were heading back to their camp when the Abu Sayyaf attacked them.
Provincial police chief Abraham Orbita did not answer phone calls by journalists who were trying to get details of the ambush. The Western Mindanao Command under General Rustico Guererro confirmed the ambush and said troops clashed with at least 80 Abu Sayyaf gunmen.
Security forces have launched a fresh offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu in an effort to flush them out from the province. Authorities have tagged the Abu Sayyaf as behind the spate of bombings and kidnappings in the restive Muslim autonomous region.
After his visit to Sulu, Catapang, accompanied by Guerrero, also flew to Maguindanao province where he pinned medals to five soldiers – one officer and four infantrymen – during an inspection at the 6th Infantry Division with its commander General Edmundo Pangilinan. The soldiers were among those who helped rescue police commandos who clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano town on January 25. The fighting killed 44 Special Action Force commandos, 18 MILF rebels and 5 BIFF and seven civilians were also slain in the violence.
One soldier,Sergeant Whilmer Jaranilla, of 62nd Division Reconnaissance Company, who led a small team during the rescue operation, was also promoted on the spot. (Ely Dumaboc and Mark Navales)
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