2 soldiers killed in Marawi clash

MANILA - An Army intelligence officer and one of his men were killed while another was injured in a clash with members of the Maute terrorist group in Marawi City on Thursday, the military reported Friday.

Lt. Col. Benedicto Manquiquis, public affairs officer of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, said the soldiers from the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) were on an intelligence operation when the fighting took place.

Manquiquis named the fatalities as Maj. Jerico Mangalus and Cpl. Bryan Libot and the wounded as Cpl. Rolando Cartilla, all assigned with ISAFP'S Military Intelligence Group 10.

Mangalus was a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 2002.

Both fatalities and the wounded soldier were brought to the Amal Pakpak Hospital in Marawi City after the incident.

Manquiquis said the soldiers were aboard an Isuzu Crosswind van when they clashed with the local terrorist group members on board a Toyota Corolla car in Barangay Lilod Madaya around 5:30 pm. Thursday.

Manquiquis said the firefight lasted around 10 minutes. He said the Maute Group members fled with an undetermined number of casualties.

Manquiquis said troops from the Army's 65th Infantry Battalion "conducted pursuit operations on identified enemy withdrawal area while checkpoints were conducted in Marawi City."

The military setback came in the middle of a military effort to defeat the Maute Group, the Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist groups in Mindanao during the first six months of the year.

(VR/ SunStar Philippines)