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Last two Abu Sayyaf rebels hiding in Bohol gunned down
 [Inquirer] The two remaining Abu Sayyaf militants hiding on the island province of Bohol were killed on Monday afternoon, after more than a month on the run following a foiled attempt to set up a local base.Abu Ubayda and another member identified only as "Asis" both died from bullet wounds in the head. Ubayda was unrecognizable after he was repeatedly shot in the face. Their deaths ended a crisis that started on April 10 when ten Abu Sayyaf rebels entered Barangay Napo in Inabanga town to set up a terror base there. Residents tipped off the police about the presence of armed men in their midst. The police, in turn, relayed the information to the military. A clash ensued on April 12, leaving three Abu Sayyaf militants dead, including their leader, Abu Rami. The remaining members of the group fled to nearby Clarin town and hid inside a cave in Barangay Bacani. But Philippine troops discovered their hiding place on April 22 after receiving a tip from a habal-habal (passenger motorcycle) driver and three residents. Another firefight broke out, leading to the deaths of four rebels, including Joselito Melloria, a subleader of the group who guided the bandits to his hometown of Inabanga via Barangay Napo. Another Abu Sayyaf member, Saad Kiram, went out of hiding and asked for food from residents in Tubigon town on May 4. He was arrested and taken to a police camp in Tagbilaran City for interrogation. However, he was killed the next day after he clashed with policemen while trying to escape. On May 10, the police and the military cordoned off Pangangan Island after receiving reports of the presence of the two remaining Abu Sayyaf bandits. On Monday morning, Hilario Toloy and his 7-year-old son were gathering seashells along the mangrove forest here when the rebels appeared and pointed their guns at them. The two asked the pair to give them food. Reports said the bandits took Toloy’s son hostage to make sure that he would return with the food. Toloy went home to Barangay Kahayag, just a few meters from the mangrove area, and brought with him food for the bandits. Meanwhile, Hilario's wife, Imelda, reported to the Kahayag village captain, Ian Bahandi, that her husband and son were being held hostage by the rebels. Bahandi, in turn, reported the matter to the military who went to the mangrove area. As a shootout broke out, father and son scrambled for safety while the two militants ran to nearby Barangay Lomboy where they took a motorcycle. They headed to Barangay Lawis only to find themselves facing a police checkpoint. They abandoned the motorcycle and ran, returning to the mangrove area in Lawis. Troops pursued them and cornered them in the mangrove area, where the militants were killed in separate areas. Posted by: ryuge 2017-05-16 |
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