ZAMBOANGA CITY – Marines found the remains of three men believed to be kidnappers of ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Drilon and three others in a grave in a remote barangay in Sulu.
The three are believed to have died in a clash with troops searching for Drilon, cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama, and professor Octavio Dinampo of Mindanao State University, who were held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf earlier this month.
Marine Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, anti-terror Joint Task Force Comet commander, said former Abu Sayyaf members informed the military Sunday of a place in Omar town where the terrorists buried their dead.
“These (Sayyaf) were wounded in the previous battle and surgical strike (and) died from serious wounds,” he said.
Sabban did not give details on the military operation to recover the remains of the three Abu Sayyaf terrorists.
“We are full blast in our intelligence operation to make sure of our targets even without disturbing the civilian populace,” he said.
The military is checking the identities of the recovered remains, Sabban said. – Roel Pareño