A GUNBATTLE erupted between commandos from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) and a group of heavily-armed members of the ISIS-inspired Dawlah Islamiyah/Maute Group in Marawi City yesterday morning leaving one of the terrorists dead and four SAF troopers and an Army officer wounded, PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas said.
Sinas said members of the 1st Special Action Battalion of the PNP-SAF under Major Gen. Bernabe M. Balba clashed with the gunmen as they were about to serve a warrant of arrest for murder and frustrated murder issued against one of the terrorists identified as Usop Nasif alias /Abu Asrap’ in Barangay Guimba in Marawi City 3 a.m. yesterday.
Nasif, described as a sub-leader of the ISIS-inspired local terrorist group, was the subject of the two warrants of arrest issued by Judge Albert Quinto of the Malabang, Lanao del Sur Regional Trial Cout Branch 11 with no bail recommended in 2019.
Sinas said the SAF commandos were about to enter their target’s safehouse when they were met with heavy gunfire from the occupants who were hiding inside.
A 30-minute firefight ensued between the two groups resulting in injuries to Asrap who was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Amai Pakpak Hospital by an attending physician.
The wounded commandos were brought to the Amai Pakpak Medical Center for treatment of gunshot wounds. Corporal Brian Fernandez was shot in his right arm while Cpl. Ronald Briñoza was hit by bullets in his left abdomen and left and right foot.
Cpl. Brad Otingguey was wounded in his left hip and left and right foot while Patrolman Ramil de Castro was shot in his right check.
An Army officer identified as 2nd Lieutenant Charlou Bangkaya was also wounded in the encounter and is still undergoing treatment as of press time along with the four SAF commandos.
Recovered inside the suspected terrorist’s safehouse were a Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, an improvised explosive device with a battery clip already attached to it, an anti-personnel IED, several IED components including a blasting cap, fragmentation grenade, 12 spent 9mm cartridges and 130 pieces of spent cal. 5.56 casings all believed to have been fired by the suspects.
The rest of the gunmen escaped.
