5 killed in Maguindanao clash

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – Five persons were killed, including an Army soldier, in an encounter between government security forces and a group of armed men believed coddling the followers of Talitay town Mayor Muntassir Sabal who is wanted for drugs.

S/Sgt. Giovanni Olimpo was killed as he was firing a machine gun toward the enemy line.

Olimpo was among a team of Army soldiers out to verify the existence of a makeshift shabu laboratory in the municipality.

“He died serving his country, helping the government fight drugs,” Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said.

Village officials said four gunmen – identified as Kamir, Bitol, Ubaida and Omar – were killed in the firefight.

The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) announced its guerrillas were responsible for the death of Olimpo.

Town officials denied claims by the BIFF that three military boats with soldiers on board were destroyed in the firefight.

Sources said the BIFF is coddling the followers of Sabal, whose residence was raided for shabu and firearms last Friday.

Sabal and his vice mayor brother Abdulwahab were tagged as “narco-politicians” by President Duterte.

Abdulwahab has been detained since October for alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.