Aleosan, North Cotabato (Wikimap)
ALEOSAN, North Cotabato – A militiaman was killed in an ambush while eight others also died in the succeeding firefight in Barangay Tapudoc here on Friday afternoon.
Maj. Jennefer Amotan, the police chief of this town, said Saturday that prior to the firefight, lawless elements killed in an ambush Ramel Santillan, a member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU), around 2:30 p.m.
Santillan, 22, was driving his motorcycle on his way to the Tapudoc CAFGU detachment when ambushed.
The militiamen on duty, upon hearing the gunfire, rushed to the scene and found Santillan on a dirt road.
The militiamen clashed against some 50 gunmen as they pursued Santillan’s attackers that resulted in the death of five CAFGU members and three lawless elements.
Four militiamen and one on the enemy side were also wounded in the firefight that lasted for more than two hours.
The police identified the slain CAFGU members as Jomar Roben, Jesry Galo, Melvin Cabrerra, Moises Galo, and Johnrey Cabrerra, while Ariel Wacan, Gibel Galo, Harison Galo, and Dante Boboy were wounded.
On the other side, the fatalities were Pikal Taya, Taher Odin, and Sammy Ayunan. A certain Tikoy Piang sustained injuries.
Col. Donald Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade, said in a statement that troops from the 90th Infantry Battalion are backing up the police for a manhunt operation against the other members of the lawless group said to be operating in the mountains of this town and nearby Pikit. (PNA)
