Three cops, militia wounded in ambush by Abu Sayyaf

December 5, 2019

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Three policemen and a militiaman were wounded in an ambush by the Abu Sayyaf in  Sulu, officials said Thursday.

Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, Joint Task Force Sulu information officer, disclosed the attack took place around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Buhanginan, Patikul.

Monfort said the joint policemen and Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) members were on security patrol when the Abu Sayyaf ambushed them.

He said a five-minute firefight ensued as a police and BPAT team returned fire.

Monfort said troops from the Army’s 6th Special Forces Battalion reinforced the policemen and BPAT, which forced the Abu Sayyaf  to flee.

He said the troops rushed the three policemen and one BPAT member Camp Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in Jolo for treatment.

The Abu Sayyaf staged the ambush five hours after one of their companion surrendered to the military  in Sulu. 

Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the ambush could be a retaliation for the series of recent Abu Sayyaf debacles “as a result of the active participation of the civilians to our security programs. DMS