Soldier killed, seven troops hurt in southern Philippine terrorist ambush
The ambush occurred in Basilan province where the Abu Sayyaf Group is operating.
BASILAN: A Philippine army soldier was killed while seven other government troops were injured during a suspected terrorist ambush in the southern province of Basilan where the IS-aligned Abu Sayyaf Group is operating.
Lt. Gen. Roy M Galido, the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, in a statement Sunday, said the ambush was carried out on a convoy of Vice Mayor Ahmadin Baharim of Ungkaya Pukan town and the troops of the 64th Infantry Battalion (64IB) and police who were members of the Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST).
One platoon of the Alpha Company of the 64IB, together with Baharim and the JPST onboard two military trucks and two civilian vehicles, were ambushed in Ulitan village, Ungkaya Pukan, by about 10 unidentified perpetrators at around 3.45pm.
The team were conducting an inspection in the village in connection with an upcoming outreach programme on Aug 18 when the ambush happened.
Galido said the troops fought back, resulting in a firefight which lasted for five minutes.
“The firefight killed one of our soldiers and wounded six others and one police personnel,” Galido said.
The slain soldier was identified in a news report as Private Marjohn Tenido.
The wounded troops – Corporals Olismador Palomares and Elias Lomoljo; Privates Wowie Penista, Frances Capilitan and Carlo Gimenez, Pfc. Nestor Tampos and S/Sgt. Rosario Bisara Jr. – were reportedly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Baharim was not wounded in the attack.
Galido condemned the “inhumane acts of terrorism perpetrated by still unidentified lawless elements."
"This act is a clear manifestation of the perpetrators' disrespect to their local government officials, the military, and their fellow Basileños, hence, we will not stop until these heartless individuals are identified and neutralised,” he said.
“Rest assured that this incident will not be tolerated and we will work doubly to disallow the malefactors from perpetrating more of such atrocities.”
Basilan was where an ASG subleader and expert bombmaker, Mudzrimar Sawadjaan @ Mundi, who is wanted by both the Philippines and Malaysia, was last seen according to the Philippine military earlier.