TALIPAO, Sulu - Philippine security forces
on Tuesday figured in a firefight with bandits under Abu Sayyaf leader Hatib
Hajan Sawadjaan in Talipao, Sulu, a military official said.
Capt. Arvin John Encinas, the spokesperson
of Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said troops of the 1st Scout Ranger
Battalion were scouring the forested area of the Liu Bud Pantao village in a
bid to rescue abducted medical doctor Daniel Moreno when they were met with
heavy gunfire from the bandits.
Encinas said around 10 militants under
Sawadjaan, the self-proclaimed "emir of Islamic State in the
Philippines," exchanged gunfire with the military for 30 minutes.
The bandits then withdrew, leaving some of
their personal belongings at their temporary camp in the area.
Encinas said they recovered three
bandoleers, three jungle packs, 3 poncho tents, cellphone, 10 kilos of rice and
foodstuff, some kitchen utensils including two magazines of M-14 rifle and cash
amounting to P14,000.
Government forces did not report any
casualty. The military is still verifying casualty reports from the Abu Sayyaf.
A task force in Sulu has been relentlessly
pursuing the Abu Sayyaf in the area, after the bandits took Moreno in February,
along with 5 Indonesian fishermen who were abducted off Sabah, Malaysia last
January.
Lt. Gen. Cirillo Sobejana, commander of
Wesmincom, said Moreno and the Indonesians have been held by the Abu Sayyaf in
two separate remote areas in Sulu.
SOURCE: ABS-CBN News -04 MARCH 2020
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