Hunt for Sayyaf stragglers in Bohol town continues

CEBU CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO) said the police and military continued to search in Clarin town, Bohol, for the three remaining Abu Sayyaf members who are still on the run.

Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño did not elaborate on the hunt for the bandits, identified only as alias Omar, Asis, and Obayda, except to say that one of them is wounded.

The three are part of an Abu Sayyaf group that clashed with government troops two weeks ago.

Taliño stressed that the remaining Abu Sayyaf members in Bohol must be captured dead or alive. He said he does not also want another casualty on the side of government forces.

In Clarin, local officials agreed to keep the town under a state of calamity while the military and police operations continue and residents who fled the fighting had returned to their homes.

Clarin Mayor Rey Allen Piezas said the town had drawn from its P3-million calamity fund to help affected families and provide food for the government soldiers.

Taliño said that clashes in Bohol were the first in the province and the entire Central Visayas.

“This is a very sensitive situation involving a terrorist group so dapat matibay ang ating kaso dito,” he told reporters.

In a related development, Taliño ordered policemen in the region to repel attacks by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) on police stations. He also urged police station chiefs to strengthen their perimeter security.

“Dapat naka ready lagi ang police natin. Dapat meron bantay lagi ang mga police stations,” he said.

Taliño also assured there were no