MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Navy officers in Western Mindanao confirmed on Wednesday that 2 Navy commandos, including a junior officer, were killed while another commando was wounded in an encounter Tuesday night with an armed group in Basilan province.

Reports said that at past 7 p.m. Tuesday, commandos of the Naval Special Operations Unit-6 were providing security to a beach landing site in Barangay Candiis in Mohammad Ajul town when they were attacked.

Rear Admiral Alex Pama, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Task Force Trillium, said the Navy commando unit was attacked by a combined force of “rogue” members of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) allegedly under Ridwan Musa and Tanad Nasalun.

The casualties were identified as Lt. Junior Grade Christopher Pantaleon, Petty Officer 3 Almario Manalili while the wounded was identified as Seaman First Class Reynand Sumalinog. All are assigned with the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG).

The military said the troops were implementing Operational Plan Hammer - an intelligence operation against wanted personalities in Basilan who are allegedly hiding in the so-called Packet Red Mountain located in Mohammad Ajul.

Pama also said that the elite Navy commandos were pursuing a group of kidnappers as well as those involved in the recent jailbreak at the Basilan provincial jail when they caught up with the armed group.

“This is part of our pressure against the kidnappers and the jailbreakers,” said Pama.

A number of hostages are still in the hands of Abu Sayyaf bandits, including two Chinese nationals abducted from a plywood factory.

Pama said they received information that the armed group they encountered were supposed to link up with the group of ASG leader Furuji Indama.

“We blocked them, they were not able to regroup, resulting in the firefight,” he said.

Pama said the commandos had already landed at the shoreline during the amphibious raid when the shooting took place. The senior Navy officer said the troops were not certain on the number of casualties incurred to the enemies who fled afterwards.

“We were unlucky, we lost two NAVSOGs, one of them an officer. It doesn’t matter, its part of the job,” said Pama.

The bodies of the junior Navy officer and sailor were airlifted to Zamboanga City. Their remains will reportedly be taken to a Navy chapel in Zamboanga City for a wake.

The wounded commando, Sumalinog, meanwhile, was taken to the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command’ Camp Navarro General Hospital which is also in Zamboanga City. With reports from Noel Alamar, dzMM and Leila Vicente, ABS-CBN News Zamboanga