Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
21 February 2010
Marines under the Operational Control of Joint Task Force Comet, aided by Naval Barrier from Patrol Gunboats of the Philippine Fleet and Close Air Support from assault aircrafts of the Philippine Air Force clashed with the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group 7AM of 21 February 2010. BGen Rustico Guerrero Commander of JTF COMET reports to MGEN Juancho Sabban, Commandant of Philippine Marine Corps, that elite composite group of Marines from 2nd and 3rd Marine Brigades based in Sulu clashed with the bandit group led by Albader Parad and Dr. Abu at the vicinity of Sitio Kandang Tukay, Karawan in Maimbung, Sulu. Fierce firefight ensued for about an hour. As a result of the decisive surgical combat operations, bodies of 6 dead terrorists were recovered. Four firearms were also recovered-- a Belgian FN rifle, 2 M203 grenade launcher, and a Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). Three Marines wounded and now at the trauma hospital in Camp Bautista.
This is a severe blow vs. ASG leadership but a major victory for the peace-loving people of Sulu who had been cooperating with our Marines by providing vital information about the bandit group.
This has been the third in a series of deliberate attacks by the Fleet-Marine Team backed by Air Force assault aircrafts. These law enforcement action by the Marines came in the heels of the atrocities the bandit ASG continue to perpetrate.
The Navy leadership will continue to spearhead operations to hunt down the remnants of the terrorist group following the case build-up that led to the arrest of Jumdail Arad in Pier 2 in North Harbor, Manila 5:15 PM Thu 18 February 2010.
