Kin of Sulu ambush victims told to avoid retaliation

By: Frances Mangosing - 10 years ago

Bodies of victims in the brazen attack by about 40 to 50 Abu Sayyaf militants are covered in blankets at a makeshift morgue in Talipao township in Jolo in southern Philippines Tuesday, July 29, 2014. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Relatives of victims of Sulu ambush early this week were told to avoid seeking revenge and instead let the authorities serve justice.

“The Vice Chairman of Municipal Peace and Order Council in Sulu, Tambrin Tulawie, made rounds in Talipao on Thursday to encourage the relatives of the victims to avoid retaliation to the relatives of the suspects,” Al Alih, officer of Talipao Disaster Risk Reduction and Municipal Council, told INQUIRER.net by phone on Friday, August 1.

He said there have been speculations that the relatives of the victims were planning to retaliate, but could not confirm if this was true.

Twenty-three civilians were killed in an ambush staged by about 50 gunmen from the Abu Sayyaf in Talipao last Monday, as Muslims celebrated Eid’l Fitr. Among the 10 injured, seven remained in hospitals in Zamboanga and Sulu.

Victims were mostly women and children. Fatalities were as young as 3 months old and an elderly woman as old as 85.

Alih said the local government of Talipao has extended financial, food and security assistance since the incident.

Abu vs Abu?

A report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer said the alleged leader of the ambush, ASG sub-commmander Sibih Pisih, planned the attack in revenge for the death of his son early this year as a result of an operation conducted by militiamen linked to Talipao Vice Mayor Tamrin Tulawi.

The ASG-backed candidate lost to Tulawi and the elected vice mayor helped the military in the operations against the bandits. Pisih’s 18-year-old son, who was not a member of the ASG, was killed in one of the operations.

When Pisih staged the road ambush, he was reportedly unaware that relatives of another ASG sub-commander Said Gani known as Amah Maas based in Tanum were on board two passenger jeeps. Maas’ group is hunting Pisih and his men, the report said.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Sulu Provincial Government early this week said that some followers of a certain barangay official helped the Abu Sayyaf in staging the attack.

Brigadier General Martin Pinto, commander of 2nd Marine Brigade based in Sulu, assured that the situation in Talipao is stable but they remained on alert.