14 People Die in Basilan clashes

ISABELA CITY--Fourteen people lay dead in the day-long clashes between government forces and lawless elements in Sumisip, Basilan yesterday, Thursday (July 26).

Fighting erupted between members of the elite 11th Scout Ranger Company led by Cpt Rholie Villaluna and about 50 gunmen led by a certain Wims Wakil a.k.a. Bakoy in Upper Cabengbeng village at around 7:30am.

Intense fighting raged for hours resulting to casualties on both sides, prompting the Special Operations Task Force to send the 13th Scout Ranger Company to reinforce the heavily-engaged troops.

As of 10:00am 7 soldiers were killed while 5 others were wounded  in the running gunbattle  in the heavily forested area occupied by the bandits.

Two attack helicopters were immediately sent to conduct close air support for the engaged soldiers while another two Huey choppers collected the wounded soldiers and brought to Camp Navarro General Hospital at around 11:00am.

Afternoon clash

At around 1:30pm, another group of bandits attacked a military outpost manned by the 20th Special Forces Company and some local militiamen from the sub-village of Candiis, Upper Cabengbeng also of Sumisip town.

A platoon from the 32nd Infantry Battalion rushed to the scene to reinforce the small detachment but was met with intense firing by some rebels occupying vantage positions near the detachment.

Intense gunfight ensued near the detachment, prompting the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion to send a platoon from the 10th Scout Ranger Company led by 2nd Lt Dante Espiritu to reinforce the 32nd Infantry Battalion soldiers.

While approaching the encounter site, the 10th Scout Ranger Company was welcomed by the bandits with a hail of bullets, triggering a heavy exchange of fires.

Supported by artillery fires, the soldiers repulsed the rebels, sending them towards various directions in disarray.

Another 4 soldiers died while 6 others were wounded in the afternoon clash.  Two of the fatalities are  from the 10th Scout Ranger Company and another 2 are from the 32nd Infantry Battalion.

The government forces incurred a total of 9 dead and 11 wounded soldiers.

The rebels were able to drag most of their casualties making it difficult for military authorities to ascertain the exact fatalities among them, except the 5 dead rebels found by the soldiers in the encounter site.

They were identified as Juhair Aliman, Kabut Mastul, Hudjata Marain, Humaidi Ustadz Hassan and a certain Halid.

Five rebels were wounded including its leader, Wims Wakil; Jarad Marain, Jaz Umangkat and two others whose names were not provided.

Plain bandits

It can be recalled that Sumisip town, particularly the villages of Upper Cabengbeng and Tumahubong had become flashpoints in the fighting this year.

The bandits had perpetrated at least two bloody ambuscades, killing innocent civilians most of whom were rubber plantation workers in Tumahubong village.

Military operations in the area are focused only against the bandits who wanted to disturb the peace in the mixed community of Christans and Muslims in Tumahubong village.