Govt
neutralises 486 Abu bandits
By Maritess FernandezZAMBOANGA CITY—At least
486 Abu Sayyaf gunmen have been “neutralized” by government troops in the
continuing military offensive against the extremist rebel group on Jolo Island in Sulu
province, the Southern Command reported yesterday.
Since the
assault by the military against rebel strongholds began Sept. 16, some 162 Abu Sayyaf
bandits have been killed, 125 captured, while 199 voluntarily surrendered to authorities,
Army spokesman Col. Hilario Atendido said.
“This
is the result of the government offensive through Task Force Trident against the Abu
Sayyaf,” he said.
The assault has
forced some 84,000 residents to flee their homes, lest they be caught in the cross-fire
between government troops and Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Meantime, two
rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) were fired Friday night at two cargo vessels docked at the
wharf of the Tagum Agricultural Development Company (Tadeco) in Panabo, Davao del Norte.
But the explosives missed the targets.
The Panabo police
said the blasts, the third in two weeks, occurred just about 10 meters away from where M/V
James and M/V Almeria were docked.
Police authorities
are still investigating the three incidents. No group has claimed responsibility for the
bombings.
Two bands of Abu
Sayyaf terrorists are still holding hostage an American, Jeffrey Schilling, and Filipino
diver Roland Ullah.
Schilling is
believed held by the group of Khadaffy Janjalani and his spokesman Abu Sabaya in Patikul
town. The military said the fate of the Filipino diver remains unknown; he was last
sighted in Talipao town.
Government forces
have recovered more than 11,800 rounds of ammunition for machine guns, automatic rifles,
recoilless rifles and mortars in sweeping raids on suspected Abu Sayyaf lairs.
Atendido said
pursuing troops also found bomb-making ingredients and illegal drugs, confirming earlier
military and police intelligence reports that the bandits were engaged in drug trafficking
in Sulu province and Malaysia.
with Joel Escovilla
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