Abu Sayyaf leader, 4 others slain in Basilan clash

ZAMBOANGA City - Five people were killed, including an alleged Abu Sayyaf Group commander, and seven people were wounded in an encounter between the bandit group and civilian volunteers on Thursday afternoon in Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan.

Capt. Ma. Rowena Muyuela, spokeswoman of the Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command, identified the slain bandit leader as Sulaiman Ajanti alias Ulay.

Muyuela said two identified followers of Ajanti and two members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit were also killed in the encounter that erupted at around 1 p.m. in Barangay Sungkayot.

The military spokesperson said two Army platoons led by Maj. Muhaimin Ahmad with the civilian volunteers from the 18th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Jose Paolo Perez launched the attack on Ajanti's group.

Capt. Franco Suelto, Public Information officer of the 1st Army Division, said pursuit operations were ongoing against the remaining members of Ajanti's group.

The military disclosed that the group of Ajanti was involved in the kidnapping of US citizens Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann and son Kevin Eric in July 12, 2012 while on their island holiday off this city. The victims were brought to Basilan and held captive for weeks before they were separately recovered.

Reports from the 18th Infantry Battalion also indicated that Ajanti’s group was also responsible in the kidnapping of government social worker Jennelyn Luna in 2013 in Sumisip town, Basilan.

The group is also being tagged in the spate of ambuscades on rubber tappers and workers of the Tumahubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (TARBIDC) between 2011 and 2012 that resulted to the death of 29 laborers and 59 others wounded.

The attacks were part of the bandit group's extortion racket.