ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Security forces have tightened their grip on the area where the Abu Sayyaf bandit group is known to be holding Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni hostage in the jungle near Indanan, Sulu.
Anti-Terror Task Force chief Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban said combined military and police forces, along with civilian militiamen, have prevented the bandits from slipping out of the theater of operations.
Sabban gave assurances that the Abu Sayyaf gunmen have been cornered following last Thursday’s fierce encounter with government troops and policemen that left several bandits killed and wounded.
“There is no way out now for them (Abu Sayyaf). We slowly reduced their area,” Sabban said.
Sabban cited the series of encounters that left 23 people killed – eight from government forces and 15 Abu Sayyaf.
Sabban said among those killed were relatives and supporters of the bandit group living in Sitio Tandu Pugot.
“We’re very sorry that some of their relatives were victims, purely because they were there assisting them (Abu Sayyaf) in giving medical attention to their wounded,” Sabban said.
The military suffered 18 wounded, comprising 15 Marines, two policemen and a civilian volunteer, against the Abu Sayyaf with more than 20.
Sabban said the frequency of the encounters indicated that the troops are closing in.
He said Abu Sayyaf leaders Albader Parad and Yasser Igassan were cornered in the area and were prevented from escaping to their lair near Patikul town.
Sabban said civilian volunteers also prevented reinforcements from coming in.
Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Rear Admiral Alexander Pama said Naval Task Force 62 is monitoring the coastline in Tawi-Tawi to prevent the bandits from escaping and blocking possible reinforcements.
“Even Tawi-Tawi province has been silent in the whole operation, in Basilan and Sulu we did not reduce the number of our forces and assets just to ensure the terrorists will have no way out,” Pama said.
Government troops continue their search and rescue operations for Vagni.
The Italian has been held hostage for five months by the Abu Sayyaf after his two colleagues, Swiss national Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba, gained their freedom in April.
Jolo Gov. Abdusakur Tan has given the go signal for government troops and police to mount a rescue operation for Vagni, who is suffering from hypertension and hernia.
The latest verifiable information from the area indicated that Vagni was being moved around by his captors in the jungles near Barangay Sionogan where the series of fierce gunbattles took place last week.