Saturday, May 27, 2006

MILITARY BLOTTER

May 24: About 15 fully armed men attacked an island in Zamboanga City, wounding a civilian. The attack also killed a cow and injured three others. Wounded was a certain Said Laham. The incident took place at Barangay (village) Pasilmanta, Sacol Island. Southern Command information officer Capt. Jose Ritche Pabilonia said a 20-minute firefight between government militiamen and attackers, led by Jun Akilan and Mahadali Balaca, ensued. Troops from Task Force Zamboanga reinforced but their enemy had already left the area. Last April 3, Akilan’s two cousins were killed in an encounter in the said island. “Reportedly, Akilan arrived in Sacol Island to avenge the death of his cousins,” Pabilonia said.

May 25: Two unidentified gunmen shot and killed a person in Patikul, Sulu. Killed was Almujid Bandahala, 22. Capt. Pabilonia said the incident took place at Upper Kasanyangan Village. Bandahala was riding his motorcycle on the way to a mosque when the assailants using cal. 45 pistol shot him hitting his chest and neck through and through. Motive of the incident still undetermined and the case is being investigated, according to Pabilonia.

May 25: Two members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed while four government militiamen wounded following an ambush in Bayugan 1 in Agusan del Sur. A report said a certain Mela Ahan, chairwoman of Barangay Mount Carmel, was ambushed by undetermined number of communist rebels. The lady village official survived but four of her Cafgu escorts were wounded identified as Nilo Ahan, Corsio Dealde, Nilo Pontillas, and Elmo Gilmo. Capt. Pabilonia said reinforcing troops killed at least two NPA rebels in the ensuing firefight, which lasted for about 30 minutes. Soldiers recovered one of the slain NPA rebels, one cal 5.56MM, one M16 rifles, 3 magazines with ammo for M16, 30 meters detonating cord, jungle pack and 2 flashlight and personal belongings from the encounter site.
May 25: Joint elements from 604th Brigade, 64th Infantry Battalion and Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office led by Police Supt. Teng Tocao with Miss Carmen Nor, Secretary of Governor Datu Pax Mangudadatu jumped off Brigade Headquarters and proceeded to Palimbang town to negotiate and accept the surrender of a certainn Ugok Polinas Epek, a Manobo Tribe and leader of notorious armed group operating in the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino with sanctuary at Badiangon, Barangay Bambanen, Palimbang. The group of Ugok Epek is responsible for the series of armed robberies and other atrocities in Senator Aquino town. The same day, the group arrived in Palimbang and immediately had a meeting with officials of local government agencies participated in by Manobo Tribal Leader Sultan Guiamadin Maring, members of International Monitoring Team in the area headed by Colonel Rashak, Malaysian Army and local Ahjag IMT in the area and threshed out the mechanics of the surrender and conduct of coordination. Ugok Polinas Epek was fetched from Barangay Bambanen and brought to PPO for custody and tactical interrogation jointly conducted by intelligence personnel of SK PPO and 604th Brigade.
May 26: At least three people, including a soldier and two civilians, were killed and four others wounded when government troops clashed with communist rebels in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. Capt. Pabilonia said more or less 10 fully armed men from the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked an outpost of the Army’s 29th Infantry Battalion based in Barangay (village) San Roque, triggering a 5-minute firefight. The two slain civilians were identified as Danilo Baisak and Lito Vigonte. The wounded civilian was Boying Libradilla.
May 27: Operating troops of 1st RDC, 6ID, Philippine Army while conducting combat clearing operations encountered undetermined number of communist rebels at vicinity Barangay Datal Anggas, Alabel, Sarangani Province. No casualty on the government side while undetermined casualty on the enemy side as of this report. Capt. Pabilonia said troops and two UH helicopters based in Awang, Maguindanao were sent to the area.
(Summary from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Command Headquarters, Command Information Office’s Incident Report as of May 27, 2006)

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