ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 21, 2014) – The Philippine military awarded medals Saturday to a group of soldiers who were wounded in fierce clashes with Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern island of Sulu.
Lt. Gen. Rustico Guererro, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, pinned the medals to the soldiers at their hospital beds in the military’s Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City. Guererro praised the soldiers for their bravery and dedication to their duty.
The fighting on June 19 had killed 7 soldiers and wounded two dozen more and security officials said at least 10 militants were also slain in the clashes on the island. A military cargo plane airlifted the caskets of slain soldiers to Zamboanga City.
The military said the fighting erupted when a military patrol ran into a group of militants headed by Abu Sayyaf subleader Hairula Asbang in the village of Buhanginan in Patikul town.
It said most of the military casualties were hit by Abu Sayyaf mortar fire. The Abu Sayyaf is being blamed for the spate of ransom kidnappings in Malaysia’s eastern state of Sabah and is also believed harboring Jemaah Islamiya militants on the island. (Ely Dumaboc)
20