Abu Sayyaf attacks Basilan village preparing for fiesta, 9 dead

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines  (Updated 3:32 p.m.) — Nine villagers were killed and 10 others were wounded when Abu Sayyaf bandits shot houses of Muslim and Christian settlers in Basilan early Monday.

 

Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, director of the Regional Police Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the injured villagers are now in hospitals.

 

Sindac identified those killed as Radzma Arakani, Baby Arakani, Radzma Hassan, Andok Haikin, Ryan Joplo, Ajid Aminullah, Marktan Jalad, Reynaldo Esparcia and Camina Dela Cruz.

 

Esparcia, a militiaman, reportedly engaged the attacking militants but was overpowered and killed by the Abu Sayyaf militants. The bandits reportedly mutilated Esparcia's remains.

 

Abu Sayyaf gunmen attacked their village at about 5:30 a.m. on Monday and shot their houses with assault rifles and 40-mm shoulder-fired grenades, according to a report by Maluso Mayor Hanie Bud, chairman of the municipal peace and order council.

 

Police and local government officials reported the Abu Sayyaf militants, clad in military uniforms and disguised as soldiers, swooped down on Barangay Tubigan while residents in the area were preparing for the barangay fiesta.

 

Gunmen also shot and wounded at least 10 civilians — Lokaya Arakani, Solo Arakani, Tarthata Arakani, Abel Laping, Roderick Villarin, Joey Dela Cruz, Miriam Dela Cruz, Jessie Dela Cruz, Julhari Arajani and Grace Fernandez — while fleeing from the scene.

 

Jordan Garcia, who was among those brought to Zamboanga City for treatment of a gunshot wound on his leg, told reporters that he noticed about a hundred gunmen in military uniforms and sporting long hair marching towards the village covered court.

Garcia said they were loading wood onto a jeep when the bandits came.

“We thought they were soldiers marching on the roadside towards the covered court... suddenly they fired on houses and vehicles and civilians,” Garcia said.

 

They also set fire on fire four houses before leaving the village in the direction of Sampinit.

 

Rescuers accompanied by soldiers and personnel of the Maluso municipal police office immediately rushed the wounded to different hospitals in nearby Isabela City.

 

Barangay Tubigan is a hinterland area in Maluso, a seaside town in Basilan.

 

The barangay is known throughout Basilan for having fierce, battle-hardened pro-government residents fighting Moro rebel forces since the 1970s as members of the Civilian Home Defense Forces and, subsequently as personnel of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit.

 

The attack on Barangay Tubigan on Monday morning was the third in about ten years.

 

Sindac, citing a report from the Basilan provincial police office, said no fewer than 70 bandits joined the attack. 

 

Col. Juvymax Uy, commander of Joint Task Force Basilan, said troops are in pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf while police were investigating the motive of the attack. — with a report from Roel Pareño in Zamboanga City