5 Abus slain, 2 hostages rescued by troops in Sulu

Following a 30-minute firefight with the military, five Abu Sayyaf bandits were slain by troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu on Thursday.

The fierce gunfight between elements of the 41st Infantry Battalion and the Abu Sayyaf under its sub-leader Idang Susukan ensued in Barangay Upper Binuang, Talipao, Sulu at 6:11am last September 7.

The bodies of the five Abu Sayyaf bandits were retrieved by the troops in the area of engagement.

Further seized were an M14 rifle and an M16 rifle with an M203 grenade launcher.

"Operating troops are currently scouring the area and are maneuvering forces as pursuit on the evading Abu Sayyaf bandits continue in the area,” said Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu.

Meanwhile, two Indonesian captives held by the group were rescued in Indanan, Sulu at 6:30am on the same day.

Sarapuddin Koni and Sawal Maryam, both crew members of a Malaysian trawler, were rescued by the Philippine Marine Ready Fleet Sulu, under Colonel Antonio V. Rosario, Jr., in Barangay Bunot, Indanan, Sulu.

The two kidnap victims were aboard a vehicle when they were intercepted by the Marine troopers.

"Marine troops successfully rescued Koni and Maryam through the assistance of the Moro National Liberation Front,” said Rear Admiral Rene Medina, Commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao.

"Close coordination was made with organizations that can help the rescue of these kidnap victims. We are lucky our plans have coincided and have resulted in the successful rescue," added Rear Admiral Medina.

The rescued hostages were brought to the headquarters of the PMRFS for medical checkup and debriefing.

They were abducted by five Abu Sayyaf members on Marabong waters near Kunah District in Sabah on November 19, 2016.

"I would like to congratulate our soldiers of the JTF Sulu for this very successful feat," said Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

"Our units are continually conducting offensives and maximizing intelligence operations in order to rescue the kidnap victims that are still in the hands of the ASG."

"In the effort of our units, we are sad to report that five of our men incurred minor wounds. They were promptly evacuated to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in Busbus, Jolo, Sulu, and were given immediate medical attention," added Lieutenant General Galvez.

In Zamboanga del Norte, five armed men aboard a red van abducted a businessman in Labason last September 6.

Jade Quimbo, 30 years old and son of Labason Mayor Eddie Quimbo, was supervising his hardware store when the perpetrators arrived and forcibly grabbed him at 6pm Wednesday.

Quimbo was forced to board the red vehicle, which headed towards Sitio Ulingan, Osukan in Labason. They subsequently boarded a motorized boat towards Bayangan island.

"We have created an Anti- Kidnapping Task Force, headed by Rear Admiral Medina, that will specifically deploy and react when there are kidnapping incidents," added the WestMinCom Chief.

"I have given immediate guidance to Rear Admiral Medina to immediately deploy all assets available for the conduct of a search and rescue operation along the waters of the ZamBaSulTa area. As of this report, intelligence operations are continuously being intensified to intercept the perpetrators."