Alert up vs ASG kidnap plans

ZAMBOANGA CITY --Government forces have been alerted on the reported plans of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits to abduct more victims in Jolo, the capital of Sulu province, an official said.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said Monday that intelligence reports point to ASG bandits deploying fighters to stage abductions in Jolo, the trading center of the province.

“There is no specific number of ASG bandits (sent to Jolo) but we, in partnership with the police and local government unit (of Jolo) are working closely to thwart their plans,” Sobejana said.

Last February 4, the ASG bandits seized Dr. Daniel Moreno from his clinic in Barangay Walled City, Jolo. Sobejana said there is no ransom demand yet in exchange for the release of Moreno.Sobejana said they are looking into the possibility that the Abu Sayyaf bandits abducted Moreno to treat bandit subleader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, who is suffering from tuberculosis.

“We are not letting out guards down. In fact, there was an encounter yesterday (February 23) wherein two Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while two soldiers wounded,” he said.

He said one of two slain ASG bandit was a sub-leader who was killed in a firefight in Barangay

Bakong, Patikul, Sulu. The two wounded soldiers belong to the Army’s 15th Scout Ranger Company, which is under the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion.

2 bandits slain

In a related report, two ASG bandits died while two soldiers were wounded following a firefight in the province of Sulu, a top military said Monday.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the encounter broke out around 1 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Bakong, Patikul, Sulu, when the troops belonging to the Army’s 15th Scout Ranger Company chanced upon the groups of Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sahiron and subleader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.

Sobejana said the firefight resulted in the death of ASG bandits Taullah Abdurasa alias Amah Ollah, a sub-leader, and Baby Ollah.

The troops also recovered two high-powered firearms belonging to the slain Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Sobejana said the two wounded soldiers, whose names were not immediately available, are currently undergoing treatment.

“Pursuit and deliberate offensives continue to pressure and pound down Abu Sayyaf fighters, constricting their movement and preempting terror ploys in the ZamBaSulTa (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) area,” Sobejana said.

“We are building up combat and intelligence operations to debilitate the militants in Sulu,” he added.