The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) clarified that the last Abu Sayyaf bandit to be killed in Bohol, “Abu Asis,” was armed when he was gunned down by government troops on Monday afternoon, contrary to previous reports.
Brigadier Gen. Arnulfo Matanguihan, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade said that Asis was armed with a .45 caliber pistol which he used in a shootout against security forces in Pangangan Island, Calape where he was killed.
Before he was shot and killed by responding authorities, Asis had also reportedly figured in a physical tussle against one male villager and a policeman in Sitio Pasayan, Barangay Lawis.
Hours prior to Asis’ death, “Abu Ubayda” was also killed by government troopers in nearby Sitio San Vicente, Barangay Lawis in Pangangan.
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Ubayda also allegedly shot it out with the AFP while an M-16 rifle was found in his possession after he was killed.
After the clashes in Clarin on April 22 which resulted in the deaths of four Abu Sayyaf fighters, the military had already noted that only one of the three remaining stragglers were armed with a high-caliber gun.
Asis and Ubayda were the last to be killed among the 11 Abu Sayyaf extremists who entered Bohol in mid-April ending the over month-long police and military manhunt operations against the bandit group in the province.
Meanwhile, Matanguihan also debunked claims that the military recovered a large amount of money from the slain bandits, particularly from Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Maumar Askali, alias “Abu Rami.”
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Askali was among the first of the band of militants in Bohol to be killed as he was gunned down by security forces during the initial firefight in Inabanga on April 12. (Rey Tutas)