Hijackers of bus in Sibugay killed in firefight

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Nine members of an extortion gang, which hijacked a commercial passenger bus on Sunday night near this city’s border were killed during a firefight on an island off Zamboanga Sibugay province.
Lieutenant Colonel Randolph G. Cabangbang, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said elements of the Sibugay police, supported by the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade, were serving a warrant of arrest to the group of Kamsa Asdanal on Thursday when they were fired upon, triggering a four-hour heavy gun battle in the island village of Baluno in Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay.

"Troops tried to recover the two enemy bodies inside the house that was visible from the outside but were met by salvo of fire. While in course of firefight, an electric power box was hit causing a short circuit that eventually set the house on fire and immediately spread to nearby five residences," he said.

Mr. Cabangbang said the operation was launched after the group of Asdanal, who was killed in the firefight, was tagged as behind the attack and burning of a Rural Transit Bus killing three persons on Tuesday evening.

He said at least two police personnel were wounded during the operation, but both are out of danger. Some of the bodies of the extortion gang members were beyond recognition due to the fire, said Mr. Cabangbang. Troops also recovered eight different types of ammunitions in the area.

Colonel Santiago Baluyot, commander of the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade, said the hideout area was highly fortified and that there were fox holes. Some houses are even interconnected, he said, adding that the place has been the group’s hideout for years.

He said the group of Asdanal is notorious in launching kidnapping activities and extortions. Mr. Cabangbang said they are still investigating on the veracity of the report that the group of Asdanal has links with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or Abu Sayyaf group. -- Darwin T. Wee