AGUSAN DEL SUR – 4 Dead, 4 Wounded In Suspected NPA Attack In Agusan Del Sur
Four civilians were killed while four others were wounded following an attack by suspected communist New People’s Army in Agusan del Sur province over the weekend, a statement from the military said.
A statement from the Army’s 6th Infantry Division identified the fatalities as Neljoy Cerna, 27; Noni Mabong, 51; Alfredo Cerna, 51; and Vanessa Sabas, 30.
Cerna and Mabong died on the spot while the two were declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Those wounded were Liza Casilla, 47; Elmer Adonis, 37; Mae Roselyn Adonis, 8; and Barangay chairman Emillio Solidor Jr., 49.
The statement said the attack occurred around 5:30 p.m. Sunday along Road 2 at Sitio Latay in Barangay Marfil in Rosario town.
The military said that prior to the attack, Solidor was invited to a celebration of the Wayside Bible Baptist Church at Sitio Latay earlier in the day.
Around 5 p.m., Solidor left the area using the barangay ambulance. Six other civilians and eight children rode with the barangay official.
Minutes later, the group was fired upon by more or less 20 insurgents believed to be under the command of Leonida Belarmino Sanchez a.k.a. Monik/Susay, Randy Dondon Subla a.k.a Nice, Ariel Conejar Ornales a.k.a. Charlie/Jorlan/Brylle and Renato Sayasat a.k.a. Friday. Government troops have since been deployed to pursue the attackers.
MAGUINDANAO – 3 BIFF Members Killed In Clash With Army
Three members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were killed while two Army combatants were wounded in a two-hour encounter in Sharif Saidona town Monday morning, the military said.
The wounded soldiers, who both belong to the Army’s 45th infantry Battalion, are now undergoing medication in an undisclosed hospital.
In a statement, the Army’s 601st Brigade, which has jurisdiction over most towns in the second district of Maguindanao, said the hostilities in Barangay Nabundas in west of Sharif Saidona erupted when BIFF bandits attacked soldiers sent to verify the reported presence of armed men in the area, extorting money from peasants.
The soldiers engaged their ambushers in a running firefight, which waned only after the bandits ran out of ammunition, forcing their hasty retreat carrying three dead companions.
Barangay folks have confirmed the BIFF fatalities, initially identified only as Karim, Abdullah and Samsudin, who died from gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies.
Captain Jay Maniwang, civil-military relations chief of the 601st Brigade, said the bandits were led by Commander Sanad and a certain Bisaya, known henchmen of Imam Ameril Ombra Kato, founder and figurehead of the outlawed BIFF.
Maniwang said the bandits retreated toward a marshy area at the border of Sharif Saidona and Datu Piang town, also in Maguindanao.