Remains of soldiers killed in Sulu clash flown to Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- The military transported the remains of 14 soldiers killed in battle against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu to this city late Tuesday afternoon.

 

The remains arrived at Edwin Andrews Air Base past 4 p.m. aboard a Philippine Air Force C-130 transport plane, said Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command.

 

Those who were airlifted were 2nd Lt. Ernan Gusto, Sgt. Jay Erwin Almohallas, SSgt. Ruel Catubay, Corporals Ronald Galloniga, Omar Raddulan and Saik Mandangan; Privates First Class Nestor Bacaling Jr., Jison Falcasantos, Gerald Yubal, Dhendo Dujo, Roselito Arnoco, Glend Cosicol Resma and Rogelio Vincoy Jr.; and Pvt. Jonas Lumayan.

 

The remains of Corporal Elid Ismael, who is from Jolo, Sulu, were not airlifted.

 

The airlifted remains were immediately brought to a local funeral home and are expected to be rendered honors at Westmincom headquarters in Camp Basilio Navarro.

 

The soldiers were killed in an encounter in Patikul, Sulu on Monday.

 

Tan denied reports that the soldiers had been beheaded and said they managed to kill two Abu Sayyaf fighters.

“During the encounter, the Abu Sayyaf Group had the mastery of the terrain and they knew the fields of fire and they were on the edge of the terrain,” he said.

 

Tan said the troops from the 35th Infantry Battalion initially clashed against 70 Abu Sayyaf members led by senior leader Radullan Sahiron.

 

However, he said, the number of the Abu Sayyaf swelled to more than 120 militants as fighting progressed.

 

He said the military casualties -- 15 dead and 10 wounded -- were not just from a single battle but a series of encounters that dragged on for close to two hours.

 

“All the military fatalities were accounted for and there is no truth to the claims of the Abu Sayyaf they beheaded some of our troopers,” Tan said.

 

The Abu Sayyaf, who recovered the cellphone of PFC Falcasantos, of the 15 killed, texted his family saying they had beheaded him.

 

Tan said the number of their fatalities will not dampen the spirits of the soldiers in completing the  mission against the Abu Sayyaf.

 

Thirty Abu Sayyaf killed in combat

 

Tan said the Abu Sayyaf have already suffered 30 killed and 11 wounded. Fifteen have been killed and 29 have been wounded on the government side.

 

The ground forces did not see any of the hostages during the encounter in Patikul, he said.

 

“The hostages were not sighted but knowing the group was there, there’s a high possibility that the victims were there.” 

 

The Abu Sayyaf is holding 16 foreigners captive -- a Dutch national, a Norwegian, seven Indonesians and five Malaysians. The group also has six Filipino hostages.