NEWS BULLETIN
News Archives (April - June 2010)

24 April 2010

10 KILLED WITH 7 HIGH-POWERED FIREARMS
RECOVERED IN AN ENCOUNTER AT MAGUINDANAO

Poblacion, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao - Ten members of Lawless armed Group were killed, six wounded while seven high-powered firearms were recovered in an encounter with the government troops in Brgy. Bako, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, 9:25 p.m. Thursday April 22, 2010.

The troops of 45th IB under 1Lt. Jethro Agbing and 2Lt. Julius Ellezo encountered more or less 100 armed group believed to be members of the rogue/renegade elements of BIAF, MILF 105th BC (SMF) while conducting clearing operation as part of the unit election security operations prior to the conduct of May 2010 election.

Firefight ensued for almost five hours in successive places of encounters as the enemy re-consolidated its forces and attempted to retrieve their casualties and reinforce their forces at the previous encounter sites while sporadic indirect fires support were provided to the engaged troops. Afterwhich, the enemy withdrew towards Northwest direction. No casualty was reported on the government forces, while ten body counts and more were believed to be fatally wounded on the enemy side. The government troops recovered assorted ammunitions; BIAF, MILF uniforms; and, personal belongings at the encounter site.

On the other hand, seven M16 Rifles were recovered during the follow up clearing operation of the 45IB troopers at the same barangay which were hidden by the withdrawing enemy.

Lt. Col. Gene Ponio PA, the battalion commander of 45IB said, “the incident clearly shows that some of the rouge/renegade group believed to be members of the MILF 105th Base Command does not follow their leadership and are still insisting on crossing areas beyond the prescribed limitation of boundaries which they declare on the GRP-MILF peace process. This indicates a gross violation of the agreement.

The seven M16 rifles, uniforms, bicycles and assorted ammunitions that were recovered from the rouge MILF members in an encounter on April 22, 9:25 p.m. at Brgy. Bako, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.