7 Abu men killed in clashes

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Seven members of the extremist Abu Sayyaf holding an American and a Filipino hostage have been killed in clashes with Army Scout Rangers in Patikul, Sulu last Sunday, the military said.

A soldier was killed and four other government troops were wounded in the fighting, Col. Hilario Atendido, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command, said.

The encounters occurred a day before Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado declared that there will no longer be any negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of American Jeffrey Craig Schilling and Filipino dive instructor Roland Ullah.

The clashes erupted after members of the 12th Scout Ranger Company stormed an Abu Sayyaf hideout in the village of Pansol in Patikul town at about 2:25 p.m.

Atendido said the soldiers were met with strong resistance by some 140 fully armed Abu Sayyaf rebels, but later overran the camp.

The military, citing reports from the ground troops, said seven Abu Sayyaf rebels were killed.

There were no signs of either Schilling or Ullah, Atendido said.

He said the Scout Rangers seized three rounds of 57RR (recoilless rocket) ammunition, 10 M-16 magazines loaded with bullets, five pairs of combat boots and three combat packs containing personal belongings, during the clearing operation.

A soldier was killed and three others were wounded in the Pansol encounter.

About 15 minutes after the clash, the military said a fourth soldier was wounded when the rebels fired upon Scout Ranger reinforcements trying to evacuate their wounded colleagues.

Superintendent Casimiro Candido, Sulu police director, said police forces have set up blockades to prevent the Abu Sayyaf from bringing their wounded fighters to Jolo.

Last Monday, Mercado rejected appeals from Schilling to resume negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf for his freedom, saying the military was only prepared to discuss an Abu Sayyaf surrender.

Schilling was quoted in a local press report as saying he wanted the government to either rescue him or negotiate his freedom.

"We still believe that we will catch them in due time. We have not given ourselves any artificial deadline this time, but we will really do it," Mercado said.

Schilling and Ullah were the last of among dozens of Western and local hostages abducted by the Abu Sayyaf in a kidnapping spree earlier this year.

Last September, President Estrada ordered an assault to end the crisis, leading to the recovery of 19 captives, including two Frenchmen, three Malaysians and a group of Filipino Christian preachers.

Since then, the military said 205 Abu Sayyaf fighters have been killed, 174 have been captured and 261 have surrendered. The military, on the other hand, suffered 12 fatalities and 80 wounded.

Meanwhile, the military said two Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas were killed in a clash with elements of the 44th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Sipakit, Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte the other day. — With Paolo Romero and Edith Regalado