ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 06, 008) – Philippine soldiers killed a suspected Abu Sayyaf militant in a clash in Pandami island in Sulu province, officials said Sunday.
Officials said the fighting erupted in a village called Parian Dakula where troops tracked down Sam Andal late on Saturday. “The body of the Abu Sayyaf man was brought to Zamboanga City and buried,” Army Major Eugene Batara, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, told the Mindanao Examiner.
He said Andal was a logistic man of the Abu Sayyaf group, which is holding a kidnapped trader, Rosalie Lao, in Sulu province since January. It was unknown whether Andal was involved in the kidnapping of the 45-year old Lao, a local Muslim with a Chinese ancestry.
Batara said troops recovered an M16 automatic rifle and an M79 grenade launcher, including a rifle grenade and various munitions from the slain militant.
“Troops are pressing operations against the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group in order to neutralize their leaders who are still creating havoc in the province,” he said.
Last week, suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen have freed a kidnapped Muslim teacher, Lullong Marrack, hours after he was seized in Sulu’s Maimbung town.
Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, Sulu police chief, said the 60-year old Marrack was released unharmed. He said Marrack, who was in a passenger jeep, was seized near the village of Kulasi.
It was unknown whether Marrack's family paid ransom or not in exchange for the safe release of the victim. But other sources in the town said the victim's family negotiated for the freedom of the teacher.
Last month, Abu Sayyaf militants have freed a kidnapped Muslim university principal, Omar Taup, after more than two months in captivity in Tawi-Tawi province.
Taup was kidnapped January 16 after militants raided the Notre Dame University in the province and killed its Catholic priest, Reynaldo Roda, after he resisted the kidnappers.
Police did not say if ransom was paid for the safe release of Taup, but the Abu Sayyaf had earlier demanded P1 million for his freedom. (Mindanao Examiner)
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