ZAMBOANGA CITY – Four persons, including a barangay chairman of Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan Province, were killed when they were ambushed by suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in a remote sitio of Barangay Banah in Tipo-Tipo town.
A belated report reaching this city Monday, the suspects peppered the service car of Matata Barangay Chairman Bin Saudi Sarakil of Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan with powerful guns in Sitio Banah in Tipo-Tipo late Saturday afternoon.
Armed Force of the Philippines- Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr. confirmed that Sarakil and three of his companions died from bullet wounds.
Vinluan, however, failed to identify the three other victims.
“Based on the report, Chairman Sarakil and his companions were traversing the road along Sitio Bacud, Barangay Banah, Tipo-Tipo from Lamitan City onboard a red Honda Civic car when they were fired upon by suspected ASG gunmen,” Vinluan said.
Vinluan said soldiers from the18th Infantry Battalion immediately responded to the area after hearing the burst of gun fires at Sitio Bacud in Barangay Banah, Tipo-Tipo town.
“Our troops from the 18th Infantry Battalion immediately responded to the area and found the bodies of the victims bathed with their own blood,” added Vinluan.
Joint Task Force (JTF) Basilan commander Col. Domingo Gobway said the victims succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.
“We are still conducting the in-depth investigation as to whose followers were responsible in the ambush,” Col. Gobway added. (Nonoy Lacson)
