Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya said the offensive continued against the bandits still holding seven captives, including three Indonesian sailors and four female members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This as the elements of the 55th Infantry Battalion clashed with the Abu Sayyaf bandits in a remote village in Talipao town Wednesday as the Ramadan started. Abaya said the troops were on combat patrol when they chanced upon 15 heavily armed bandits in the jungle of Barangay Bud Bunga about 2:30 p.m. There was no immediate report as to how many bandits have been killed in the encounter.
"They fled after the 10 minute fighting bringing some of their casualty," Abaya said.
"Offensive operation against the Abu Sayyaf continued even during this Ramadan," Abaya said.
Around 5,000 troops have been running after the bandits to rescue the hostages and neutralize the Abu Sayyaf since the military launched Operation Endgame.
The bandits are still holding Munto Jacobo Winowatan, Julkipli, and Pieter Lerrich, crew of M/T Sentil Marine 88 abducted last June 17 near Capual Island off Jolo, Sulu.
The bandits are also separately holding Norie Bendijo, Cleofe and Flor Montulo, and Emely Mantic, members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who were abducted last Aug. 20 in Patikul town while peddling assorted cosmetics products.
Col. Daniel Lucero, spokesman for the Southern Command said Abaya issued also the directives to military in Central Mindanao that offensive will continue against the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) if it will violate the interim ceasefire agreement.
Lucero said Abaya warned that any rebel group that will breach the law by massing up its forces and conducts extortion and harassment activities to civilians would be dealt with accordingly.