Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS) commander (front row, 4th from left), and Col. Armel Tolato, Philippine Marine Ready Force-Sulu commander (3rd from left, front row), present the high-powered firearms of the Abu Sayyaf Group recovered on February 22 by the MBLT-3 in Kalingalan Caluang, Sulu. (JTFS social
ZAMBOANGA CITY - Troops from the Philippine Marine Ready Force-Sulu have recovered arms cache of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the hinterlands of Sulu, a top military official announced Friday.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the arms cache was recovered at around 7:30 p.m. Thursday at sitio Kadkad, Barangay Pitogo, Kalingalan Caluang municipality.
Sobejana said the recovered arms cache included four caliber 7.62-mm M-14 rifles and four 5.56-mm M-16 Armalite rifles.
Sobejana said the Marine Battalion Landing Team-3 (MBLT-3) troops headed by Lt. Col. Ramil Densing swooped down on sitio Kadkad, and recovered the firearms after they received report from a concerned citizen about an arms cache of the ASG hidden in the area.
He said an alleged ASG member identified as Apo Eting, who is guarding the arms cache, hastily fled aboard a motorboat upon sensing the arrival of the marine troops.
Sobejana commended the MBLT-3 troops for their accomplishment and extended his heartfelt gratitude to the local government unit (LGU) and populace of Kalingalan Kaluang for their support and cooperation to the Joint Task Force Sulu.
He believes that more loose firearms will be recovered and more ASG members will be neutralized with the support of LGUs and peace-loving Tausugs as manifested in Thursday’s successful operation. (PNA)
