ASG member killed in Basilan encounter —Westmincom

A suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was killed Saturday morning in an encounter with soldiers in Maluso, Basilan.

Army Captain Joan Petinglay, spokesperson for the Western Mindanao Command, said a firefight lasting more than an hour ensued between members of the bandit group and soldiers of the 68th Infantry Battalion  in Sitio Pali, Barangay Abong-Abong at around 8:45 a.m.

Air assets were deployed as close air support for the troops while Joint Task Force Basilan provided fire support.

Brigadier General Juvymax Uy, commander of the JTF Basilan, said  other maneuver forces including special forces battalion 64IB and 18IB were directed to block the avenues of enemy withdrawal.

The body of one ASG member, along with an M14 rifle, were recovered from the firefight.

Aside from the Abu Sayyaf, BIFF and their affiliate groups, the government's anti-terrorism campaign has been extended to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army after President Rodrigo Duterte issued a proclamation order tagging the communist group as a terrorist organization.

In congratulating JTF Basilan headed by Uy, Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez Jr, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, said: “There will be a no-let up operation against the Abu Sayyaf as our Commander-in-Chief himself has declared such since last year.”

“The different Joint Task Forces are in full-throttle to get the remaining Abu Sayyaf members and to rescue their kidnap victims,” he added. — MDM, GMA News