11 soldiers wounded in Basilan ambush

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A senior Army officer and 10 troopers were wounded when armed men ambushed their seven-vehicle convoy yesterday in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.

Brig. Gen. Frederick Sales, 110st Infantry Brigade commander, said three of the wounded – Lt. June Joseph Madla, Sgt. Rolando Tumbali and Sgt. Carinio Guyod – were hit in the head and were in critical conditions.

They were immediately airlifted for treatment at Camp Navarro General Hospital here, he added.

Also wounded were Lt. Col. Frank Baylon; S/Sgt. Allan Veniegas; Cpls. Anton Gregory de Guzman and Roel Hagonoy; PFCs Armel Sinarellos, Glen Estardo and Mark Anthony Abianares and CAFGU Active Auxiliary member Nursifa Asani.

Initial investigation showed that Baylon and his troop were in a convoy for yesterday’s command conference in Isabela City when they came under heavy fire at 6:30 a.m. along the highway in Barangay Badja.

The gunmen were believed to be led by Saddam Siddick, who was allegedly retaliating for the death of his wife Nermalyn Salapuddin-Musa on Sept. 30.

Musa was slain during a brief clash with police and soldiers who were serving a warrant of arrest over her involvement in the fatal ambush of three Army intelligence operatives earlier this year.

Siddick escaped during the warrant service in Barangay Baimbing, Lamitan City.

“We were pursuing Saddam Siddick. He is the main suspect in the ambush,” Sales said.

He said pursuit operations continue as intelligence personnel were mobilized to locate Siddick and his followers.

Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman held an urgent security meeting to assess the situation and establish measures to help authorities in running after those involved.