Labanan sa Sulu, humupa na!

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / September 27, 2009) – Pansamantalang natigil ang labanan sa pagitan ng militar at Abu Sayyaf sa lalawigan ng Sulu na kung saan ay 8 sundalo ang nasawi sa matinding sagupaan.

Bagamat natigil ang kaguluhan ay patuloy naman diumano ang intelligence operations ng militar sa tulong na rin ng mga sundalong Kano na naka-deploy sa Sulu mula pa nuong 2006. Tumutulong ang mga Kano sa paghahanap sa Abu Sayyaf.

“Our operation is going on,” ani Major Ramon David Hontiveros, spokesman ng Western Mindanao Command. Hindi naman ito nagbigay ng detalye ukol sa operasyon ng militar.

Huling inulat ng Western Mindanao Command na 34 mga Abu Sayyaf ang nasawi sa labanan nuong nakaraang linggo, ngunit dalawang bangkay lamang ang nabawi ng mga tropa ng Marines.

Nabatid na lumaki lamang ang bilang ng mga nasawing terorista dahil sa mga intelligence reports na nasagap ng militar, ngunit wala naman itong basehan.

Pormal naman na itinalaga ng militar si Brigadier General Rustico Guererro bilang bagong hepe ng Task Force Comet sa Sulu na dating pinamumunuan ni Brigadier General Eugenio Clemen. Nagpalit lamang ng puwesto sina Guererro at Clemen na parehong nalagasan ng maraming mga sundalo sa mga nakalipas na labanan. (Mindanao Examiner)

President Arroyo Cancels Trip To Sulu

A Filipino photojournalist speaks to soldiers guarding the Sulu airport Thursday, November 20, 2008. President Gloria Arroyo has canceled her trip to Sulu where she would have graced the conference on peace of dozens of Catholic and Protestant bishops and ulama because of bad weather condition.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez, center, and President Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, left, feast on durian with Gov. Sakur Tan in Sulku province Thursday, November 20, 2008. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 20, 2008) – Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo canceled her trip Thursday to Sulu province where she was invited to grace the conference on peace of the Catholic and Protestant bishops and ulama.

Francis Dacer, of the Presidential Management Staff, said the President aborted her trip because of bad weather condition. “We are so sorry but the President cannot come to Sulu because of bad weather condition. She waited for an hour in Zamboanga for the weather to clear, but there is no way the President can come,” he told local officials and reporters here.

Supporters of President Arroyo and local officials were dismayed by the cancellation of the trip, saying, they had prepared a huge welcome in Sulu.

But Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan said the safety of the President is more important than the preparation of her visit. “The safety of President Arroyo is more important than anything else. The President will visit us soon,” he said.

President Arroyo’s security and peace advisers Norberto Gonzales and Hermogenes Esperon arrived earlier in the day and attended the Bishops-Ulama Conference held at the Notre Dame University.

Security was tight the entire day. The President canceled her trip two days after Abu Sayyaf militants ambushed a Filipino and US military convoy in Indanan town.

There were no reports of casualties from the military side, but one militant was wounded in the exchange of gunfire, according to a report by the local ABS-CBN television network, quoting, Col. Eugene Clemen, commander of the Philippine Marines 3rd Brigade in Sulu.

He said the soldiers were on their way to inspect an infrastructure project when they were ambushed, it said. The attack coincided with the capture of an Abu Sayyaf bomber Almid Jundam in Sulu on Tuesday. Jundam is a notorious member of the Abu Sayyaf's urban terrorist group, who was behind the planting of a homemade bomb at the Sulu airport runway on Saturday.

But Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of military forces in Sulu, quickly denied the report. “That's not true. It did not happen,” he said.

Col. Joseph Mouer, commander of US forces deployed in Sulu, did not want to give any statement and told reporters to interview local military officials.

“I cannot give any statement, you should ask the local commanders,” he said.In August, Abu Sayyaf militants also ambushed a Philippine and US military convoy in Sulu, killing four Filipino soldiers and wounded ten more in the village of Bonbon in Patikul town.

The incident was also not reported to the local media, but the Guam Army National Guard released a brief statement confirming that one of its servicemen was unharmed following an attack on his unit in Sulu.

The US soldier was not identified, but the Guam Army National Guard said the serviceman is attached to a platoon with the 294th Infantry Regiment deployed in May in Sulu to aide in the ongoing conflict there.

The Philippine military and the US Embassy in Manila insisted no US soldiers were in the attacked convoy.

American troops are training and assisting local soldiers in defeating terrorism in the southern Philippines on the request of the Philippine government. Earlier this month, Filipino soldiers also captured an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Sakirin Andalan Sali and killed another militant, Faidar Hadjadi, in a firefight in Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner)

Sayyaf terror man captured, US-RP convoy attacked in Sulu

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 20, 2008) – Government soldiers captured an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader ahead of President Gloria Arroyo's visit to Sulu province.

Col. Eugenio Clemen, commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade, said they are interrogating Almid Jundam, a notorious member of the Abu Sayyaf's urban terrorist group, who was behind the planting of a homemade bomb at the Sulu airport runway on Saturday.

"Initial inquest revealed that he is responsible in setting up an improvised explosive device in Sulu's airport extension on November 15 which was detonated by the Explosive Ordnance Detachment Team," Clemen said.

Jundam was captured in Jolo on Tuesday while about to withdraw money from a bank. A wig and a camouflage jacket were recovered from Jundam's bag.

Clemen said civilian informers tipped off the military about the presence of Jundam in Jolo. Jundam admitted during interrogation that he planted the bomb at the airport runway and was also behind a foiled bombing of the Catholic Church in the town.

Jundam was also implicated in the fatal shooting of Khomeini Sawadjaan, 23, and Ubay Damsik, 60, last month in the village of Alat in Indanan town.

Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of military forces in Sulu, said the operation against the Abu Sayyaf is ongoing. "We uphold the people's steadfast stance against the employment of illegal and deadly explosives as one of the acts of terrorism."

"We greatly appreciate the support of the people, who share the same vision - a peaceful atmosphere more conducive for development. This accomplishment indicates the trust and confidence bestowed to us by the peace-loving people of Sulu. The Abu Sayyaf's complete downfall is imperative for our people to fully enjoy their rights to lasting peace," he said.

Jundam's arrest coincided also with the Abu Sayyaf ambush of a Filipino and US military convoy in Indanan town. There were no reports of casualties from the military side, but one militant was wounded in the exchange of gunfire, according to a report by the local ABS-CBN television network, quoting, Clemen.

The soldiers were on their way to inspect an infrastructure project when they were ambushed, it said. Sabban has denied the report. "That's not true. It did not happen," he said.

In August, Abu Sayyaf militants also ambushed a Philippine and US military convoy in Sulu, killing four Filipino soldiers and wounded ten more in the village of Bonbon in Patikul town.

American troops are training and assisting local soldiers in defeating terrorism in the southern Philippines on the request of the Philippine government. They are also active in humanitarian missions.

Earlier this month, Filipino soldiers also captured an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Sakirin Andalan Sali and killed another militant, Faidar Hadjadi, in a firefight in Sulu.

President Gloria Arroyo is expected to visit Sulu province where the influential Bishops-Ulama Conference begin its three-day general assembly.

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan has invited the President to grace the historic gathering sponsored by the Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo headed by Bishop Angelito Lampon.

The co-conveners of the Bishops-Ulama Conference are Davao City Archbishop Fernando Capalla, Protestant Bishop Hilario Gomez and Ulama League of the Philippines representative Dr. Hamid Barra. (Mindanao Examiner)