Armed Forces’ Chief of Ctaff Gen. Alexander Yano on Tuesday visited nine soldiers recently wounded in recent skirmishes in Sulu in operations related to the three abducted staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

During his visit, Yano reportedly distributed some goods to the wounded soldiers as well as some cash. He also awarded medals which recognizes the bravery of the “new heroes of the land.”

Yano said the soldiers of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-6 (MBLT-6) have been putting pressure on the Abu Sayyaf Group holding the abducted Red Cross workers by constraining them in a contained place.

Unfortunately, the bandit group using high-powered firearms attacked the military unit first, resulting in nine soldiers wounded.

Three of the wounded soldiers were reportedly in critical condition after sustaining some gunshot wounds in different parts of the body, including 2nd Lt. Raymond Terio.

Sgt. Remy Pasadilla was one of the nine soldiers wounded in the firefight. He said the ASG members were positioned in high ground while they were in an lower area of the mountain. Pasadilla said it was possible the members of the bandit group were waiting for them in ambush.

Peaceful means
Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command chief, meanwhile said that while the military operations have been put in to place, they are still open to peaceful means in rescuing the three ICRC workers.

Allaga said their plan is to constrict the rebel group in a smaller area and to limit their movements and possible exit points.

By exerting pressure on the kidnappers, Allaga said, he believes that maybe and eventually, the rebel group will have no choice but to set free the captives.

Yano meanwhile said that based on their intelligence information, some personalities of Southeast Asia regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) have been supporting ASG in the kidnapping incident..

Yano however did not elaborate more on the identities of the JI members and its numbers. It is also premature, he said, to predict that international terrorists have been funding ASG again to escalate the crisis and initiate more kidnappings and terroristic act in Southern Mindanao.