3 Sayyaf men killed in clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY ,Philippines  – Three members of the Abu Sayyaf group were killed and several others were wounded in an encounter with the military in the jungles of Sulu on Sunday.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz said a soldier was also wounded during the clash with about 30 Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Patikul town. Government troops have been scouring the jungle area in search of the militants who killed seven Marines in a July 28 clash, including two who were beheaded.

Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman for Western Mindanao Command said combined elements from the 63rd Force Reconnaissance Company, Philippine Marines, 3rd Light Reaction Company, and Force Recon Battalion were maneuvering to a designated pick-up point after the tracking operation when the encounter occurred about 8:45 a.m. He said fierce fighting erupted for about 15 minutes before the militants retreated.

Cabangbang said the troops recovered the body of one Abu Sayyaf member, whose identity remained unknown. Military informants reported that two more had been killed and carried off by their comrades, according to Brig. Gen.Romeo Tanalgo, head of a regional security group.

The lone wounded soldier was identified as Private First Class Villanueva, a member of the Marine reconnaissance company.

An angry President Aquino has ordered the military to hunt down the militants involved in the July clash. At least 13 Abu Sayyaf men were killed in that encounter.

Deputy military chief Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta said the AFP leadership was going to Zamboanga soon to forge plans to defeat the Abu Sayyaf.

“We'll have to sit down and discuss and I'll see what really happened on the ground and we'll make the appropriate adjustments,” Mabanta said.    – With AP