A soldier was killed in an encounter with Abu Sayyaf men in Sulu on Monday, the military said.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group was also killed in the firefight that occurred in Sitio Bud Kaha in Barangay Maligay, Patikul town past 11 a.m.
“Our troops were continuously doing security, search and rescue for the freedom of the kidnap victims resulting to an encounter with an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf members,” he said.
Soldiers recovered two high-powered firearms and other war paraphernalia.
The troops also discovered three buried cadavers believed to be fatalities from an encounter with members of the Abu Sayyaf Group a day before.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez said they suspect that one of the three was a foreigner and another may be the son of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Sawadjaan.
“We will just confirm the identities. Tthe report is still in the process of validation,” he told reporters. /ee