EMERGENCY TREATMENT | Medical staff of a hospital in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, attend to wounded Marine soldiers on Saturday who were ambushed by suspected Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute terror group in the nearby Marogong, Lanao del Sur, at 3:45 p.m. of the same day. (Photo courtesy of the Marogong Municipal Police Station)
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao del Norte, Philippines — A Marine sergeant was killed while three other soldiers were wounded in an ambush by suspected Dawlah Islamiyah (DI)-Maute terror group in Lanao del Sur province on Saturday, police said on Sunday.
Marine Sgt. Tonti Melbert Pamaran of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 2 was killed while his companions — Cpl. Mark Anthony Bañares and Sergeants Jeram Aradji and Joan Aniñon — were wounded after they were ambushed by at least 10 gunmen in Barangay Cabasaran, Marogong town, at 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, according to Lt. Joseph Chicano, town police chief, in a report on Sunday.
The soldiers were on their way to their base in Malabang town, which is about 10 kilometers from Marogong when they were waylaid by armed men who positioned themselves on both sides of the road, said Chicano.
Chicano, who sent the report to Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director, said the attackers were identified to be DI-Maute group members under a certain Faharudin Hadjisatar alias Abu Zacharia.
Police found empty shells for an M16 rifle at the site of the encounter. The attackers reportedly fled to the forested area of the village after a brief firefight.