Thursday, 20 August 2009
BY: LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
After 96-hours of Fleet-Marine operation-- including intelligence & personnel build-up, insertion of SEALs & Marines, time allowance given for negotiation, and eight hours of protracted firefight in close proximity--ten MNLF men were declared fatalities, five were captured, a Marine was wounded, and assorted firearms were recovered.
"Give due respect to the dead MNLFs the way we want them to respect our fallen comrades that they will be first to have custody of after an armed confrontation," Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, the Navy Flag Officer in Command yesterday reminded the Fleet-Marine personnel that figured in this successful liberation of Sitio Marabon, Mantangule Island in Balabac Municipality in Palawan. Thirty to 40 Moro National Liberation Front members stormed the island, occupied a mosque, and sent around 400 families fleeing to safety in the nearby islands (see related stories in this page).
The last part of the Fleet-Marine operations ended at around 3PM 18August 2009 after nearly eight hours of close-range firefight with around thirty fully armed men. The protracted skirmishes resulted to the death of 10 MNLF men, 7 of them were recovered, 3 were no longer retrieved from the sea where they attempted to escape on board a pump boat. They refused to surrender after hearing warning shots fired and instead shot it out with the Navy SEALs, according to Commander Alberto Cruz, the Task Group head. Three of the fatalities are the leader Abdullah Abdurajak a.k.a “Pa Guro” and his two sons Ebrahim Sabtula. The rest are Said Abdulradjak, one alias Kimpo, Nuh Abduradjak, Abdul Madjid, and one alias Sarip Hasim. The captured MNLF members were identified as Mannan Said, Bajar Usop, Sukarno Jamal, Alqasim Ladjahassan, and Saheron Batiik. Also recovered were assorted firearms and ammunitions, and a bladed weapon.
To the ground component commander and Commanding Officer MBLT-8 and the commander of the Naval Task Group 41.5 of the Philippine Fleet LTCol Yuri Pesigan and Commander Alberto Cruz, respectively of the Fleet-Marine team that operated in Mantangule Island, VADM Ferdinand Golez yesterday sent the message: "The Command Team of the Philippine Navy extends its commendations & congratulations of to all of you out there who made the Navy especially proud today. Carry on the good work!"
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Update in Mantangule Island, Balabac Incident as of 191400H
BY: LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
LTC Yuri Pesigan the ground component commander of the fleet-marine operations team reports the recovery of 7 dead bodies and a total of 6 firearms and a bladed weapon (2 garand rifles, and M14 rifle, and an M79 grenade launcher, 2 cal. 45 pistols and a kris) from the marauders. Two were captured in the running gunbattle that is still ongoing. A wounded Marine grazed by bullet in the face near his eye has been airlifted to a hospital in Rio Tuba in southern tip of mainland Palawan. LCol Pesigan and Commander Alberto Cruz of Naval Task Group 41.5, and the members of the local PNP, with orders coming from Commodore Orwen Cortez, the Commander Naval Forces West, endeavor to get all the MNLF members before sundown to prevent their possible escape or for dissolving with the civilians/evacuees.
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
LTC Yuri Pesigan the ground component commander of the fleet-marine operations team reports the recovery of 7 dead bodies and a total of 6 firearms and a bladed weapon (2 garand rifles, and M14 rifle, and an M79 grenade launcher, 2 cal. 45 pistols and a kris) from the marauders. Two were captured in the running gunbattle that is still ongoing. A wounded Marine grazed by bullet in the face near his eye has been airlifted to a hospital in Rio Tuba in southern tip of mainland Palawan. LCol Pesigan and Commander Alberto Cruz of Naval Task Group 41.5, and the members of the local PNP, with orders coming from Commodore Orwen Cortez, the Commander Naval Forces West, endeavor to get all the MNLF members before sundown to prevent their possible escape or for dissolving with the civilians/evacuees.
Update in Mantangule Island, Balabac Incident as of 191000H
LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Reports sent to Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, Navy Flag Officer In-Command by Commodore Orwen Cortez, Commander, Naval Forces West indicate that the fleet-marine operations led by the ground component commander Marine Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Pesigan was constrained to attack the MNLF group of Abdullah Abdurajak that is holed in the mosque they occupied in Sitio Marabon, Mantangule, Balabac, Palawan.
The enemy failed to surrender before sundown per ultimatum given by LTC Pesigan to Haji Sukarno Jamal, the emissary of the surrender filler. The Navy SEAL and Marine Teams under the orders of Commo Cortez launched a surgical assault on the MNLF group midnight of 18 August 09.
Sporadic firefighting that started 7am, 19 August 2009 ongoing. Two dead with firearms (one dead body already recovered) and two men captured from the marauders. Navy ships of Naval Task Group 41.5 under Commander Alberto Cruz are now patrolling the seas to pre-empt the enemy from escaping.
VADM Golez: “We will pursue the operation until its rapid conclusion and restore the rule of law in the island. We will get these marauders and kidnappers who are now shooting it out with our fleet-marine personnel.”
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Reports sent to Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, Navy Flag Officer In-Command by Commodore Orwen Cortez, Commander, Naval Forces West indicate that the fleet-marine operations led by the ground component commander Marine Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Pesigan was constrained to attack the MNLF group of Abdullah Abdurajak that is holed in the mosque they occupied in Sitio Marabon, Mantangule, Balabac, Palawan.
The enemy failed to surrender before sundown per ultimatum given by LTC Pesigan to Haji Sukarno Jamal, the emissary of the surrender filler. The Navy SEAL and Marine Teams under the orders of Commo Cortez launched a surgical assault on the MNLF group midnight of 18 August 09.
Sporadic firefighting that started 7am, 19 August 2009 ongoing. Two dead with firearms (one dead body already recovered) and two men captured from the marauders. Navy ships of Naval Task Group 41.5 under Commander Alberto Cruz are now patrolling the seas to pre-empt the enemy from escaping.
VADM Golez: “We will pursue the operation until its rapid conclusion and restore the rule of law in the island. We will get these marauders and kidnappers who are now shooting it out with our fleet-marine personnel.”
Updates in Balabac Standoff
LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Four platoons of Marines from Marine Battalion Landing Team-8 and teams of Navy Seals have landed in Brgy. Mantangule in batches. The first 2 platoons and teams from NAVSOG landed in the island as of 2200H Monday 17 August and occupied the location near the MILF group 12 noon today 18 August.
Two more platoons set foot this morning and took their respective positions relative to the enemy. Fire support base was put up. The commander on the ground and Battalion Commander of MBLT-8 Major Yuri Pesigan gave the ultimatum for the MNLF group to lay down their arms before sunset. The notice sent by Pesigan at 1500H was received by Hadji Sukarno Jamal—emissary for the surrender initiated by “Pa Guro’s” group.
As of this time 1830H, the group of “Pa Guro” has not yet surrendered although there were no reported hostilities since.
Should the group refuse to give up, we will be constrained to enforce the law as last resort. Until then, we will allow the peaceful resolution of the standoff thru negotiation between the emissary and the commander on the ground.
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Four platoons of Marines from Marine Battalion Landing Team-8 and teams of Navy Seals have landed in Brgy. Mantangule in batches. The first 2 platoons and teams from NAVSOG landed in the island as of 2200H Monday 17 August and occupied the location near the MILF group 12 noon today 18 August.
Two more platoons set foot this morning and took their respective positions relative to the enemy. Fire support base was put up. The commander on the ground and Battalion Commander of MBLT-8 Major Yuri Pesigan gave the ultimatum for the MNLF group to lay down their arms before sunset. The notice sent by Pesigan at 1500H was received by Hadji Sukarno Jamal—emissary for the surrender initiated by “Pa Guro’s” group.
As of this time 1830H, the group of “Pa Guro” has not yet surrendered although there were no reported hostilities since.
Should the group refuse to give up, we will be constrained to enforce the law as last resort. Until then, we will allow the peaceful resolution of the standoff thru negotiation between the emissary and the commander on the ground.
Balabac Incident
LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Philippine Navy patrol vessels and gunboats are now patrolling the seas off Balabac Island in Palawan to prevent the MNLFs from escaping.
Teams from Naval Special Operations Group (SEALs), platoons of Marines from MBLT 8, and PNP personnel deploy to counteract the group led by the group by Pa Guro that reportedly occupied a mosque at Marabon Island Balabac Saturday, 14 August 2009 terrorizing the people to flee their homes.
We will not allow lawless elements to sow panic and cause havoc to helpless civilians and law enforcement action directed against the group of Pa Guro who reportedly extorts money from the residents in the island defines the role of the navy in projecting naval power from the ship to the shore to strike against lawless elements preying on civilians.
Philippine Navy has to dislodge and stop Pa Guro’s group now dugged-in the island anticipating confrontation with government forces.
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Philippine Navy patrol vessels and gunboats are now patrolling the seas off Balabac Island in Palawan to prevent the MNLFs from escaping.
Teams from Naval Special Operations Group (SEALs), platoons of Marines from MBLT 8, and PNP personnel deploy to counteract the group led by the group by Pa Guro that reportedly occupied a mosque at Marabon Island Balabac Saturday, 14 August 2009 terrorizing the people to flee their homes.
We will not allow lawless elements to sow panic and cause havoc to helpless civilians and law enforcement action directed against the group of Pa Guro who reportedly extorts money from the residents in the island defines the role of the navy in projecting naval power from the ship to the shore to strike against lawless elements preying on civilians.
Philippine Navy has to dislodge and stop Pa Guro’s group now dugged-in the island anticipating confrontation with government forces.
2 Air Force UH-1H choppers fired by bandits
LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Around 1003H, today 16 August 2009, two (2) Air Force UH-1H choppers that carried on board BGEN Rustico Guerrero, the Commanding General of 1st Marine Brigade leading the combat operations and law enforcement actions in Basilan, and four (4) companions were fired upon from the ground by unidentified armed men at the vicinity of Barangay Limbo Upas, Albarka, Basilan.
The pilots, BGEN Guerrero, and Mr Leo Alcamoso were unscatched, Jorge Bandola, Egay Luciano and Louie Iglesia—TV journalist, cameraman from National Broadcasting Network 4 photographers from the Office of the press secretary, respectively sustained superficial splinter wounds. The helis had to make doctrinal landing in Lamitan City as a matter of precaution before proceeding back to Edwin Andrews Airforce Base in Zamboanga. The chopper incurred torn transmission oil line due to bullet hit. BGEN Guerrero’s group was at Sitio Kurellem, Silangkum, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan for the ceremonial flag raising ceremony in the erstwhile Abu Sayyaf Group stronghold and turnover the sitio back to its residents thru Mayor of Tipo-Tipo. It will be recalled that ASGs seized and occupy the sitio and drove away the local residents. It took 23 lives-2young officers and 21 soldiers—to wrest control of and liberate the sitio from the crutches of the bandit ASGs. We will unrelentlessly conduct combat operations to decimate the terrorists, end their sowing of terror.
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Around 1003H, today 16 August 2009, two (2) Air Force UH-1H choppers that carried on board BGEN Rustico Guerrero, the Commanding General of 1st Marine Brigade leading the combat operations and law enforcement actions in Basilan, and four (4) companions were fired upon from the ground by unidentified armed men at the vicinity of Barangay Limbo Upas, Albarka, Basilan.
The pilots, BGEN Guerrero, and Mr Leo Alcamoso were unscatched, Jorge Bandola, Egay Luciano and Louie Iglesia—TV journalist, cameraman from National Broadcasting Network 4 photographers from the Office of the press secretary, respectively sustained superficial splinter wounds. The helis had to make doctrinal landing in Lamitan City as a matter of precaution before proceeding back to Edwin Andrews Airforce Base in Zamboanga. The chopper incurred torn transmission oil line due to bullet hit. BGEN Guerrero’s group was at Sitio Kurellem, Silangkum, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan for the ceremonial flag raising ceremony in the erstwhile Abu Sayyaf Group stronghold and turnover the sitio back to its residents thru Mayor of Tipo-Tipo. It will be recalled that ASGs seized and occupy the sitio and drove away the local residents. It took 23 lives-2young officers and 21 soldiers—to wrest control of and liberate the sitio from the crutches of the bandit ASGs. We will unrelentlessly conduct combat operations to decimate the terrorists, end their sowing of terror.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Government Forces Clashed Fiercely Against Lawless Groups in Basilan
BY: LT COL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
ASG’s major stronghold falls
In compliance to the order of the Commander–in-Chief President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to rid Basilan (and Sulu) of terrorists and lawless elements, security forces of the 1st Marine Brigade-led operations under the command of BGen Rustico Guerrero attacked known enemy lair at around 355AM 12Aug2009. The primary military objective is the terrorists’ nerve center-- training camp, and improvised explosive manufacturing base --located in Sitio Kurilem, Brgy. Silangkum,Tipo-tipo,Basilan Province. The Army’s Light Reaction Unit ferociously engaged around 50 lawless MILF groups-aided Abu Sayyaf terrorists believed to be under ASG leader Furuji Indama. Following the intense firefight that ensued, two air force UH-1H helicopters flew in around 5AM to evacuate wounded personnel. The attempt had to be aborted however when the aircrafts were met with heavy volleys of fire from the bandit groups. Air evacuation was successful conducted only at 820 AM and at 222 PM where casualties were flown to Zamboanga City.
At around 530 AM of the same day, Scout Rangers encountered more or less 150 heavily armed ASG & their cohorts at Hill 440 in the vicinity of Barangay Baguindan, Tipo-tipo. Fierce gun-battle raged between government forces & the bandit groups. Meanwhile, reinforcing Marines ferociously engaged more or less 70 combined ASGs & MILFs also in Baguindan, Tipo-tipo. The protracted firefights peaked at around 1130 in the morning and between 6 to 7 PM & subsided to sporadic engagements at around 830 in the evening. The field report reaching Headquarters Philippine Navy reveal that a total of 31 terrorists were killed in the clashes.
The lawless groups suffered heavy casualty –dead or wounded. Retrieval operations yesterday had to stop at nightfall. As of press time today 13 Aug 09, confirmed dead were ASG sub commanders Jony Poy, Abdullah Hud Limaya (son of Hud Limaya the commander of 2nd Brigade of MILF’s 114 Base Command), and 114 MILF Base Command Commander Ashib Salim. We are validating intelligence reports received that there were other ASG commanders who died during the skirmishes namely: Nurhasan Jamiri, Abdul Hud, and Moton Indama (purported brother of ASG commander Furuji).
From the initial tally of recovered firearms yesterday, the latest figure: four light machine guns, four M-14 rifles, five M203 grenade launchers, two rocket-propelled grenades, five M-16 rifles (two of them fitted with scopes), a “Baby Armalite” with M203 grenade launcher, five Minimi Squad Automatic Weapons, four units of Cellular phones, and a sizeable number of improvised explosive devices, bomb-making equipment and components.
“In successfully seizing the terrorist’s major stronghold in Barangay Silangkum,Tipo-tipo, Basilan and thus depriving the lawless groups of a strategic advantage, government troops suffered casualty”, MGEN Ben Mohammad D Dolorfino Commanding General, Western Mindanao Command mournfully declares . Twenty Three (23) were Killed-In-Action (including 2 junior officers) while 21 were Wounded-In-Action. The operation had been surgical and deliberate employing reasonable force to minimize collateral damage to life and property of civilians residing near the ASG stronghold.
“The Philippine Navy mourns the death toll and the injuries sustained by our operating units in Basilan”, says Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy. “But more than enemy body counts and recovery of their war materiel, the soldiers’ gain in taking Sitio Kurilem, Barangay Silangkum, Tipo-tipo Basilan and depriving the bandits of its staging area of its kidnapping, bomb-production, and other nefarious activities, are both tactical and strategic victories that these fallen soldiers won with their lives and limbs.”
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