KUTA SANG-AN –
Troops from 64th Infantry Battalion and members of Special
CAFGU Active Auxiliaries (SCAA) encountered more or less ten (10) Abu Sayyaf
Group at Sitio Manican, Brgy Sapah Bulak, Sumisip, Basilan leading to the death
of one (1) ASG member identified as certain Omar Akbar Suwaire and the recovery
of one M16 Armalite rifle with attached M203 Grenade Launcher around 4:30 in
the afternoon of 13 July 2013
According to Lt. Col Leonardo C Dacumos, Commanding
Officer of 64th Infantry Battalion, his troops with some
members of SCAA were escorting the delivery truck of Tumahubong Agrarian Reform
Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (TARBIDC) going home from
Isabela City, Basilan Province when ambushed by the ASG but his troops
immediately out maneuvered the enemy resulting to a 10 minutes fire fight.
The enemy immediately left sensing that their effort
is useless to the alerted soldier. However, after an hour another group of
around 10 ASG attack the deployed troops to serve as route security in the same
area leading to another 30 minutes fire fight in attempt to recover the body of
their dead comrade. The ASG withdrew again when sensing the arrival of
government reinforcement. Luckily no one was hurt from among the soldiers
during the ambush and encounter, added by LTC Dacumos.
The body of slain ASG was turned over
by 64IB to Hon Gulam Hataman, Mayor of Sumisip, Basilan. The recovered war
materiel alongside with the M16 rifle and M203 Grenade Launcher were with two
(2) long and one (1) short magazines for M16 rifle, six (6) rounds for M203 GL
and 19 live ammo for M16 rifle.
