ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 19, 2009) – One government soldier was killed and five more wounded in a clash Thursday with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in the southern Filipino province of Basilan, officials said.
Officials said the fighting erupted in the village of Baiwas in Sumisip town where troops are tracking down kidnappers holding a loan collector, Leah Patris.
“The skirmishes lasted for about thirty minutes and resulted to the killing of one soldier and five others wounded. An undetermined number of enemies were also killed,” said Army First Lt. Steffani Cacho, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command.
She said troops were searching for Patris when they encountered the MILF rebels under Amir Mingkong. The town is a known lair of MILF rebels.
Patris and Ahmad Ilang were kidnapped on February 3 near Maluso town. The kidnappers had freed Ilang three days later. The two were employees of the Kasanyangan Foundation Inc. which is engage in micro-finance in Basilan, several nautical miles south of Zamboanga City.
The victims were with another employee, Nasra Mudjain, on a motorcycle when three gunmen intercepted them in the village of Upper Benengbengan in Sumisip town.
Mudjain managed to escape and reported the abduction to the police. Police tagged former Moro National Liberation Front rebels led by Commander Abugao as behind the kidnappings. The kidnappers had previously demanded P10 million for the safe release Patris.
Beside Patris, three Filipino teachers, a boy and a Sri Lankan peace worker are also being held by kidnappers in Basilan province.
More than a dozen people had been kidnapped in Basilan in recent months and most of those freed had paid millions of pesos in ransoms. (Mindanao Examiner)
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