‘Pentagon’ leader killed in gun battle

PIKIT, North Cotabato — Tahir Alonto, the alleged leader of the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom group, was killed with five of his men in an encounter over the weekend with government troops in Liguasan Marsh, local religious and political leaders claimed yesterday.

But the military here, particularly the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and the First and Second Marine Brigades, whose units are scattered around Buliok complex in nearby Pagalungan town in Maguindanao, refused to confirm the report.

Officials said they have to verify the claims if Alonto was among those killed during the firefight.

Armed Forces Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamco, however, confirmed some members of Pentagon group were killed in intense cannon and mortar shelling in Barangay Balungis in Pagalungan.

Kyamko said the shelling came after troopers from the Marine Battalion Landing Team who were on combat operations encountered the Pentagon gang members at 6:30 a.m. last Saturday.

Kyamco, however, did not say confirm if Alonto was among the Pentagon gang members killed in the encounter.

Alonto and his men were the focus of military offensives last February. The military accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of giving safe haven to Pentagon men in Buliok complex, their stronghold located in the boundaries of North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

Alonto, who has a P5-million reward on his head, first gained notoriety in leading the Pentagon gang when he, with the help of disgruntled MILF commanders, embarked on a kidnapping spree that began in 2001.

Muslim religious leaders, among them close relatives of key commanders of the MILF in Pagalungan and Pikit, said they have been receiving reports from evacuees in relief sites describing one of those killed matched the descriptions of Alonto.

They described Alonto having scars of bullet wounds on one of his ears, on the arm and foot.

Alonto and MILF chairman Hashim Salamat hail from Barangay Cudal in Pagalungan, the known gateway to the Buliok complex, which is now a peace zone where government rehabilitation projects are being implemented.

"Reliable sources from the MILF and Muslim villagers who are aware of the incident have informed us that they are convinced that Alonto was one of those killed in the encounter," a 45-year-old Muslim leader, who asked not to be identified, told The STAR.

The Pentagon was first formed by Faisal Marahombsar, Jun Sarat, Rasul Ingad and a certain Udasan in a meeting at a roadside hotel in Digos City in mid-2000.

Marahombsar was captured Feb, 16, last year, but escaped from his Camp Crame detention cell on June 19. He was subsequently killed in a reported shootout with lawmen in Cavite last Aug. 25.

Ingad and Udasan are still detained in North Cotabato, facing kidnapping charges while Alonto succeeded Marahombsar.

One of the original founders of the group, Sarat, is still at large and is believed to be hiding in a rebel stronghold somewhere in Maguindanao.

Muslim leaders and villagers here and in nearby towns in Maguindanao said Alonto and his men were resting in their hideout in a strategic spot in the Liguasan Marsh when Marines approached them from the river criss-crossing the area on board rubber boats.

Sources said Alonto and his men, with some MILF rebels, opened fire at the approaching Marines, sparking a gunbattle.

The MILF rebels reportedly abandoned the slain Alonto and fled deeper into the Liguasan Marsh after running out of ammunition.

Sources from the Muslim business community in the province said apart from Alonto, several MILF guerrillas were also killed in the encounter.

In a statement, Kyamco said the ground troops immediately requested for fire support from the 105-mm. Howitzer team based in Buliok to pound the rebel positions.

"The troops under cover of 60mm mortar shelling and M60 machinegun fires crossed the river utilizing rubber boats towards the enemy positions," Kyamko said.

He said troops landed as firefight sparked that lasted almost two hours before the rebels withdrew toward the southeast direction, dragging their casualty.

The troops recovered assorted ammunition, pairs of camouflage uniforms, jungle hammocks, and medicine kits and MILF documents. — With Roel Pareño