Student slain after attacking Army checkpoint in Sulu; soldier hurt

ZAMBOANGA CITY –– The military is investigating the affiliation of a college student from Jolo, Sulu who was killed trying to attack Army personnel manning a checkpoint in nearby Indanan town on Monday, Sept. 30.

Maj. Arvin John Encinas, Western Mindanao Command spokesperson, said the investigation would be instructive of the motives of a certain Fersauidi Arabani, a resident of Barangay Asturias in Jolo in attacking government troops assigned in a checkpoint in Barangay Kajaitan in Indanan.

Major General Corleto S. Vinluan Jr., commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said the troops were conducting checkpoint operations when Arabani, armed with a bolo, came rushing around 12:45 p.m., shouting “Allahu Akbar.”

The soldiers were trying to subdue Arabani who was able to inflict a minor wound on the neck of one, prompting another to shot him, Vinluan said.

The wounded soldier was rushed to the Camp Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital for treatment.

Police investigators recovered from Arabani’s body a sachet of crystal meth or shabu, Encinas said.

Arabani was a second-year student at the Mindanao State University in Sulu, taking up Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, based on the recovered Certificate of Student Registration, Encinas added. /lzb