Soldier, 4 others dead in Maguindanao clash

COTABATO CITY—Four armed men, said to be part of a group coddling fugitive Mayor Montasir Sabal of Talitay town in Maguindanao province, and a soldier were killed in a clash near Liguasan Marsh on Monday, military reports said.

The clash came as authorities continued to pursue Sa-bal, who had eluded a joint police and military operation on Friday.

Two helicopter gunships and 10 armored personnel carriers were used to support some 300 soldiers and policemen sent to arrest the mayor.

President Duterte had named Sabal and his brother, Abdulwahab, as among Maguindanao’s “narcopoliticians.”

Abdulwahab was earlier arrested on charges of illegal possession of firearms.

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6th ID), said S/Sgt. Govanni Olimpo was manning a machine gun mounted on a hovercraft in the marshland of Maguindanao when he was hit by a bullet.

“He died serving his country, helping the government carry on its antinarcotics campaign,” Galvez said of Olimpo.

Officials of Talitay town confirmed a military report that four gunmen were also killed in the clash.

Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, said it was his group that clashed with the soldiers in the boundary of Talitay and Datu Anggal Midtimbang towns on Monday.

Mama said one of their members was killed in the clash.

Col. Markton Abo, 6th ID spokesperson, said the military and the police continue to pursue Sabal and his armed followers.

In an earlier interview, Abo said the firing of rockets during the operation to arrest Sabal was part of a clearing maneuver and was meant to ensure the safety of government troops.

Mayor Sabal was not in his house when government troops came. He has been in hiding since authorities first tried to arrest him in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat province in August. —EDWIN FERNANDEZ INQ