Two children were killed when a band of the Abu Sayyaf Group attacked a community dialogue in Barangay Igasan, Patikul, Sulu the other day.
Six ASG members were also killed while five soldiers, seven ASG fighters, and two civilians were wounded in the attack.
The fatalities were identified as one-year-old Saiful Abdun and 12-year-old Jahida Usab.
Lt. Col. Gerard Monfort, spokesman of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said a platoon of the 6th Special Forces was conducting a community dialogue in Barangay Igasan on government livelihood and infrastructure projects when at least 30 fully-armed ASG men arrived, triggering a gunbattle.
Some of the soldiers engaged the ASG fighters while the rest secured all the civilians attending the dialogue. “Our troops stood their ground with the mission of preventing the Abu Sayyaf from advancing,” said Monfort.
Residents, according to Monfort, begged the soldiers not to allow the ASG to enter their community. “The civilians told our troops there that if the ASG successfully entered their community, their houses will certainly be burned,” said Monfort.
Residents also said the ASG may execute some of them for talking to the military.
2nd Lt. Christian Capiz, platoon leader, said they could have retreated to consolidate forces with reinforcing Army but he said it would be too dangerous for the civilians left behind.
“We could have easily withdrew and at least go to a safer position but I could not leave behind the civilians who were panicking and the children who were already crying,” said Capiz.
The pressure to secure the community was intense for the soldiers.
Capiz was leading the maneuver and he himself saw the pitiful condition of the civilians at the height of the gun battle. The fleeing residents did not know where to go while some were already evacuating their wounded relatives.
Capiz said he knew that the worst could happen to the civilians if the ASG would outflank them and eventually get control of the community. “So I ordered my men to hold their ground and prevent the ASG from advancing at all cost,” said Capiz.
The ASG withdrew after 30 minutes after six of them were killed and seven were wounded.
The wounded were taken to a military hospital.
Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said that the leaders of the ASG in Sulu were furious when they learned that residents have been meeting the military. “They were furious even with their own relatives whom they accused of collaborating with us,” said Pabayo.
The top leaders of the ASG have been killed but it still maintains fighters in Basilan and Sulu. Attempts to wipe them out and even lure them for peace discussion have so far failed.
The ASG is notorious for high-profile kidnap-for-ransom, beheading of their captives and soldiers, and even bombing activities in the past.
