3 Marines Killed In Sulu Clash

MANILA, Philippines --- Five were killed, including three Marines and two armed men believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), in an encounter yesterday morning in Patikul, Sulu.
Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) spokesman, said 10 soldiers were also wounded in the firefight that took place around 6:30 a.m. at Barangay Bakong in Patikul town.
According to Cabangbang, elements from the Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 (MBLT6) engaged an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf men under Radullan Sahiron and armed followers of Tahil Sali.
“The Marine company was conducting patrol to verify reports of the presence of kidnap victims in the area,” said Cabangbang.
The spokesman further said one of the two slain armed men was identified as a certain Kaisar.
Wesmincon commander, Maj. Gen. Rey C. Ardo has ordered the dispatch of all available air and naval assets to support the engaged troops and to ensure that the soldiers killed in action are recovered and those wounded brought to the nearest medical facility.