22 dead in MNLF-Abu Sayyaf clash in Sulu — military

February 4, 2013 1:52pm



(Updated 3:59 p.m.) More than 20 combatants were killed in Sunday's clash between Abu Sayyaf and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members in the hinterlands of Sulu province, a military official said Monday.

Col. Orlando de Leon, commander of the Sulu-based 2nd Marine Brigade, said “unverified reports” from civilian sources indicated 22 fatalities — 14 from the Abu Sayyaf and eight from the MNLF.

“Unverified reports indicated that both sides suffered casualties. On the side of the MNLF, reports that reached us show that eight died on their side. On the Abu Sayyaf, more or less 14 died on their side,” he said.

Sulu Police director Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra, meanwhile, said the death toll could still increase.

"Ngayon po, tumatakbo pa rin ang mga figure na 'yan," he said in an interview on News TV Live. "Maaaring tumaas pa 'yan."

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos said four fatalities from the MNLF were beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf.

"One of the casualties was identified as Wahab Omar and four of those killed MNLF members were beheaded while four firearms were recovered by the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group),” he said in a statement.

The fighting broke out around 8 a.m. Sunday and lasted at around 11 a.m. at the boundary of Kabuntakas and Buhanginan villages in Patikul town due to misunderstanding arising from the Abu Sayyaf’s kidnapping activities.

The clash occurred after the release of two Filipinos who had been abducted with a Jordanian journalist last June.

Freyra said the MNLF had been in the area since January 14, negotiating for the release of the hostages. However, the Abu Sayyaf did not want to release the hostages without a ransom.

"Nagkatagalan, nagpatuloy 'yung standoff sa magkabilang grupo," Freyra said, adding that when the hostages were released on Saturday, the groups came within "seeing distance" of each other.

"Talagang nagkaroon ng viewing o seeing distance na maaaring nag-ignite kung bakit sila nagkaputukan. So na trigger siguro po ng tension sa katagal nilang pag-istambay sa lugar na 'yun kaya nagpalitan ng putukan," he said.

On June 12, 2012, Jordanian TV reporter Baker Atyani of the Al Arabiya news channel and two Filipino members of his TV crew, Ramil Vela and Buboy Letriro, disappeared, believed abducted by the Abu Sayyaf. Vela and Letriro were released Saturday.

Apart from Atyani, security officials said the Abu Sayyaf is still holding a number of hostages in Sulu, including Dutchman Elwold Horn and Swiss national Lorenzo Vinciguerra, who were snatched in Tawi-tawi in February last year, and Japanese treasure hunter Katayama Mamaito, who was kidnapped in July 2010 in Sulu.

Some 250 Abu Sayyaf men and 300 MNLF members were involved in the clash that stemmed from the Abu Sayyaf's refusal to heed the MNLF's appeal for it to stop its kidnapping activities, De Leon said.

Burgos said to contain the violence, the military deployed troops from 2nd Marine Brigade.

“The AFP through the 2nd Marine Brigade, and PNP (Philippine National Police) units have prevented a spillover of the armed clash,” Burgos said. “The situation is now under control.”

Some 60 families were displaced due to the firefight and are now being attended to by  the municipal government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. — with Carmela Lapeña/KBK, GMA News