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4 Marines killed, 10 hurt in Sulu firefight

Breaking News:

By Joel Guinto
Inquirer.net

Four soldiers were killed while 10 others wounded when they were ambushed by suspected Muslim extremists in the southern island province of Sulu Saturday morning, the commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps said.

At 6:45 a.m., a convoy from the 11th Marine Battalion Landing Team was in the vicinity of Bonbon village in Patikul town when they were attacked by the gunmen, believed to be members of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, Major General Ben Dolorfino said.

“Four of our soldiers were killed in the fighting. Ten more wounded and operations are ongoing in the area,” Western Mindanao Command spokesman Major Eugene Batara said.

An unknown number of gunmen are also believed to have been killed in the fighting, Batara said.

The Marines were on their way to a brigade command post on Mt. Bayug in Talipao town when fired upon by the group armed with mortars and high-powered guns, said Navy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo.

The firefight lasted for 10 minutes, after which, the gunmen retreated, Arevalo said, adding the fatalities and the wounded were airlifted to Zamboanga City.

The Abu Sayyaf group has engaged in bombings and mass kidnappings for ransom, often targetting Christians and foreigners.

US military advisers have been training local forces to hunt down the group which has been involved in abductions and killings of Americans in the past. With reports from Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao Bureau and Agence France-Presse

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52 Comments

  1. bitchevil bitchevil

    The killing of soldiers, rebels and civilians is just the beginning. More bloods would be shed as a result of the Evil Bitch’s evil desires on Mindanao in cahoots with foreign countries.

  2. Chabeli Chabeli

    War has never brought out the best in anyone or anything. In this case, this war in Mindanao that Gloria started is not worth the blood of any soldier, or any civilian.

    The fighting should be in Malacanang. After all, this was all Gloria’s idea–whether it was Norberto Gonzalez who, as rumour has it, had thought of this bright idea, still, it wouldn’t have been a go without Gloria’s okay. UNLESS, of course, Gloria is really not in control anymore & we’re already in a military junta..at this point, God only knows !

    In the meantime, we must pray for our soldiers who are suffering & fighting a war on behalf of Gloria, as well as the civilians who are living in fright..

    God bless the Philippines. May God grant justice to the perpetuators.

  3. In this time of war, let us set aside blaming each other. Each of us can contribute something for our country’s peace and order. Let’s not just put the blame to the president or anybody in the government.

  4. kabute kabute

    Gloria Karlos said;

    “In this time of war, let us set aside blaming each other. Each of us can contribute something for our country’s peace and order. Let’s not just put the blame to the president or anybody in the government.”

    Tell that to the al queda trained abu sayaff, the MILF and your name sake gloria.

  5. Gabriela Gabriela

    At sino naman dapat ang managot?

    Sa lahat na pangyayari, lalo pa kung trahedya, dapat tumbukin ang ugat para malaman kung sino responsable at para hindi na maulit.

    Paano natin mahinto ito?

    Sino ngayon ang managot sa kaguluhan ngayon sa bansa? Sino ang nasa kapangyarihan? Sino ang nagpa-asa sa mga Pilipinong Muslim?

    Who used the Filipino Muslims to push her own agenda to protect herself from the crimes she has committed. As an earlier peice in this blog said, “Blood in Gloria Arroyo’s hands”

  6. Valdemar Valdemar

    Yeah, we should not be blaming anyone. Lets keep the sanctity of Ramadan. They ask us to respect Ramadan. Yes we must. They should not fight the Christians from Ramadan to the next and the christians do not fight them from Christmas to the next christmas. That should be fair to everyone and our soldiers need not die like chickens.

  7. Toney Cuevas Toney Cuevas

    Brave soldiers getting killed for greater cause is to be considered heroic, but to die because of whore Gloria’s idiocy or stupidity is a total waste of human life. As I see it, soldiers are being sacrificed for whore Gloria’s incompetency to lead and the whore place in history. It’s regrettable. My condolence to the families of those Marines.

  8. Toney Cuevas Toney Cuevas

    I also consider the conflict in parts of Mindanao as caused by whore Gloria’s madness to remain in power. I suspect it’ll only get worse. The whore couldn’t careless, she never did about the country.

  9. mingkay mingkay

    Dapat tugisin dead or alive and mga rebelde.Higpitan ang mga backdoor kasi baka doon lumulusot ang kanilang mga supplies kagaya ang mga armas at bala.

  10. Taliban Taliban

    Do your share. Never blame anybody. Everyone of us has the responsibility to to do something for the betterment of our country. lets not put to nothing the sacrifices of the soldiers whether they are from the philippine army, philippine navy or the philippine air force. they are sacrificing their lives in order for us to be safe, in order for us to sleep soundly during the night and to enjoy the true democracy that everyone is enjoying right now.

    Blaming the leaders is not the cure of what is happening now. What we need are “YOU” people and like me who could tell to our country men that we should stop this useless atrocities, stop the killings, stop the skirmishes. Lets talk to our neighbors about peace not war.

    Peace shall start from the neighborhood. “YOU” being professional like me could send as many messages as we want to our neighbors, friends, classmates and to this website about peace and the evils of war.

    What we need now are responsible people who could contribute in the changing of minds and beliefs of those who are embracing war as the solution to the problem.

    Lets unite at this very critical moment of our country. Lets not be part of the problem. You have your own role “to do” in order to solve the problem. Lets move forward for the betterment of our country. I know everyone of us could contribute. Let’s do our share.

  11. bitchevil bitchevil

    This Gloria Karlos came from nowhere to tell us not to blame GMA…ha,ha,ha. What an idiot !

  12. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    RE: they are sacrificing their lives in order for us to be safe, in order for us to sleep soundly during the night and to enjoy the true democracy that everyone is enjoying right now.

    Filipino soldiers’ lives are in the harms way in Mindanao-Sulu Is. due to MOA-AD fiasco created by usurper Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts. Malacanang is coddling the MILF leadership. Gloria-Assperon cannot afford an all-out war in Mindanao. Why they are only concentrating the arrest of Kato and Bravo? Field commanders and foot soldiers are confused because they may hit a wrong target in the battlefield. They are fighting one hand tied down. Soldiers just follow orders from bogus commander-in-chief. Lets unite for the ouster of Gloria Arroyo. She is the problem.

  13. Gabriela Gabriela

    Korek ka dyan, Diego.

  14. juggernaut juggernaut

    Taliban,
    Its easy to talk “peace man!” when you don’t have family in harm’s way, isn’t it? Pangalan mo pa lang sablay na.
    So what is the solution you have on your mind then? “relax, open your legs and enjoy it?” as when rape is inevitable? Pathetic, if your idea of a solution is to not do anything at all, even to find the truth as to what caused all this so we can begin to solve the problem – YOU TALIBAN, are the problem.

  15. juggernaut juggernaut

    Noli should start acting like a proper vice-president and initiate “take over” of the president’s position on the basis of mental incapacity. That is, if he still has the balls, or still has some semblance of manhood…

  16. Toney Cuevas Toney Cuevas

    I don’t foresee peace and order in Mindanao or any place in the Philippines for that matter until the incompetent, corrupt Gloria the whore is out of the office. Prosecuting the whore for the crimes against the people must be the first priority.

  17. mub mub

    Taliban,

    It’s easy to share that each one of us should do our share, lets contribute, that we have our own role to solve the problem. Can you give a concrete way for an ordinary person like me to do all these things that you are saying. Especially for people like far from Mindanao are not experiencing what the people in Mindanao are in now. It always easy to talk but about doing the walk.

    If you can give me only 5 things that an ordinary person like me can do to make a difference to what is happening now in Mindano then saludo ako sa mga sinasabi mo.

  18. mub mub

    Taliban,

    It’s easy to share that each one of us should do our share, lets contribute, that we have our own role to solve the problem. Can you give a concrete way for an ordinary person like me to do all these things that you are saying. Especially for people like far from Mindanao are not experiencing what the people in Mindanao are in now. It always easy to talk but about doing the walk.

    If you can give me only 5 things that an ordinary person like me can do to make a difference to what is happening now in Mindano then saludo ako sa mga sinasabi mo.

  19. mingkay mingkay

    yes we will do our share but how? how would you feel if one of your love ones have been killed in this stupid battle? Right easy to talk peace,you should tell that to the Pandakikak evil and her followers evil people too.

  20. Agree with Taliban.

    “What we need now are responsible people who could contribute in the changing of minds and beliefs of those who are embracing war as the solution to the problem.”

    War is never a solution to a problem such as Mindanao; war is the last and final option to a problem that people, leaders, protagonists refuse to solve. Most of the lil people, the local population do not want war — most of the time, they are the pawns of greedy, unthinking, power avid people.

  21. Both parties are responsible for this debacle. People must get together to eliminate the source of the problem.

    And I agree, each one of us can exert pressure on our own leaders and do so even in our own little way; Christians must do it on their own leaders and Muslims in Mindanao should do on their fellow Muslims…

    It was done in Northern Ireland, it will be difficult but can can be done.

    As Yuko likes to say, “Filipinos must persevere!”

  22. Basically, that is my “humanist” view.

    My more pragmatic view is simple: we have a Republic with a Constitution (not 2 not 3 constitutions…) our duty is to defend the Republic from within and without, from internal and external forces that seek to destroy it, whoever they may be, regardless of any consideration.

    If our leaders are leading us to a self-destructing path, i.e., Gloria and her subalterns BJE MOA, whatever, akin to treason, then it is our duty to put a stop to that.

    Whoever is trying to undermine our Republic, its Constitution and destroy its institutions, be they Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, Atheists — no matter who — it is our own duty and responsibility as citizens of the Republic to destroy these enemies.

  23. coeL coeL

    AdeBrux, if you lead the way…even though i do not have so much, i’ll contribute to that aspiration.

  24. Don’t blame Gloria? Tama ka, Gabriela, this is the sole responsibility of the Gloria Dorobo, fake president though she is. She started it all. Hindi naman iyan kasalanan ng lahat ng mga pilipino. She should be pulled out of the palace by the murky river by the hair. Akala niya kasi puede na iyong palandi-landi niya at arte niyang musmos as when she would have her tantrums when she was a kid and being spoiled by her parents to get what she wants. Question is how many more lives do people there have to sacrifice for the sake of this tapalani? Puede ba, patalsikin na iyan?

  25. Valdemar Valdemar

    Lets blame the church for coming here in the first place. Imagine what would be our life now without the church,the ARAMCO and others would be exploring and sapping our oil and natural resources while we go all over the swanky capitals of the world spending our royalties instead of OFWs pushed out of the windows. And the nice things would be getting four wives at a time and no number 8 car plates lording over our cramped streets with flashy cars.

  26. Valdemar Valdemar

    But its not yet too late, though. Let out the first order of the day, ‘DOWN WITH THE CHURCH!

  27. Coel,

    Thanks for what seems to be a vote of confidence but I don’t think you need me at all… you’re doing just fine as it is. Keep up the good work.

  28. bitchevil bitchevil

    Valdemar, it’s not actually the church that we should blame but the preachers (false prophets) running the church. There’s what is called “Apostasy” and Restoration. After Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, His apostles continued to teach His doctrine and direct His Church by receiving revelation from Christ. After His apostles were killed, people began to change His teachings, and although some truth remained, there was a general falling away from the truth, called the apostasy, and Christ’s church was taken from the earth.

  29. Rose Rose

    Taliban- I agree with you let’s do our share..to make the Phil a better country..Itali natin si GMA and let us ban her now and stop her in running the country…tali at ban…what sayest thou? Tali and ban!! tali sa poste at ibakain sa mga daga!

  30. Taliban Taliban

    MUB,
    In my own point of view, I would recommend the following that an ordinary citizen could do to make the difference and let’s start from the basic. This might be a small thing but if everyone will do this, then I think this could be something big and great:

    1. Reach out, volunteer yourself in going to Mindanao and mingle with the people here. While here, try your best to educate our countrymen. Talk about the evils of war, that it is much better to live in peace and harmony rather than war. War is always evil, never good.

    2. If you could not do the first one, try to send an open letter on “PEACE” as many as you can to the local news papers here in Mindanao, to the different radio stations, to the church, to the Moslem leaders and even to the politicians. If your letters will be published in the newspapers, then the chance or possibility of reaching the audience is very big. So much so if the anchor of the radio stations will air your letters. Almost all people are tuning in to the radio every day.

    3. Join the peace advocates in their mission areas. There are so many peace initiatives that are being done here in Mindanao. Let your voice be heard. Who knows people here believes in what you say.

    4. If you are here in Mindanao especially in the war thorn areas, give information to the Police or Military on the location of the criminals. Cooperate and coordinate with them. But of course do it secretly. That’s the only thing that you could do to the uniformed security personnel.

    5. Do not join the fight or armed struggle. We have the AFP and PNP who has the mandate of fighting the insurgents and criminals. What they need are people who shall cooperate with them by giving the right information regarding the location of the enemy.

    These are just some of the many things that every Filipino could do to help eradicate war. As I’ve said, these things might not be the perfect solution of the problem but at least WE have done “something”.

  31. Taliban Taliban

    Mingkay,

    If you’re loved ones is a member of the AFP or PNP, then to DIE is part and parcel of their lives. Nobody forced them to join the ranks of the noblest profession in the world. Let’s just accept the fact that there is an ongoing conflict and everything is possible to happen anytime and anywhere in their respective duty assignments.

    It’s really very hard to accept if civilians are the victims, but then let’s accept the fact that indeed they are victims of war.

  32. Valdemar Valdemar

    bitchevil,
    Ok, so its “Down with the false prophets who came with Magellan!”

  33. Valdemar Valdemar

    and all those who came later and are still here.

  34. coeL coeL

    Taliban, have you been to Malabang, Buldon, Parang, Pigcawayan, Midsayap, Pikit and Pagalungan? Have you slept, ate and befriended locals in those areas? Before you suggest something, be sure, you…yourself can do it….
    it is not a matter of saying “at least WE have done something.” I always take the position that when you help…
    you should help to the best of your ability or else there no sense at all to talk about it!

    Mine is not to reproach but rather to remind you that the reality of your suggestions are improbable if you live in those places I mentioned. I have been there and I know it.

  35. coeL coeL

    Valdemar, BitchEvil is right…the church per se has nothing to do with the ills befacing our country. Either you are a Catholic or protestant, there are priest and pastors, respectively, with run-away doctrines that counters to what the bible says. Its the messenger and not the Church or maybe…I should say…it’s the song but not the singer! Don’t you think so?

  36. Taliban Taliban

    COEL

    I’ve been there in those places that you have mentioned. I have a lot of relatives and friends in Midsayap and I was able to talk to the people there both Christians and Moslems. People in those places really want peace. A long and lasting peace.

    I do not say things that I could not do. All the things that I’m suggesting and I’ve written above are all based on my experiences.

    I do hope you do the same.

  37. oldsalt oldsalt

    the MILF is going at tit the wrong way… They were misled amd fooled by Gloria and her cohorts…these are th people the MILF should be running after not the Civilians nor the Military who were but taking orders from the fake Generals on the Fake Gloria’s order….Thet is the right Tit for Tat!

  38. bitchevil bitchevil

    Thanks coel. On the other hand, I understand Valdemar’s point. Religion sometimes destroys rather than helps. I define religion as reconciling with God. Unfortunately, people and countries use religion to achieve their earthly desires one of which is to conquer other countries. Valdemar pointed out that had the Spaniards not conquered and colonized the Philippines, we would not be a Catholic country. The next question is…would we be better off being a different religion than Catholic? What makes Catholicism controversial is the fact that many of the Catholic teachings are alien to the words of God written in the Holy Scriptures. I know my comment won’t sit well with die-hard and devoted Catholics…but that’s the truth. I’m willing to discuss it point by point privately but not in this blog.

  39. coeL coeL

    Bitchevil, when one discuss about his/her religious beliefs there will be no end to it because everyone thinks he/she is right…..simply because the core of your beliefs or my beliefs is purely by faith, an act that we hope will be substantiated….I will not go beyond this point.

    Valdemar could be right though but overlooked the rest of the picture: the Spaniards came bearing cross with their left hands and swords on their right hands symbolizing to conquer and christianize us. Had they come with swords on both hands…..

  40. Hmmm. As the operations against MILF are stepped-up, the Abu Sayyaf suddenly enters the picture.

    Deja vu? Remember, how the Abu Sayyaf suddenly awoke from its deep slumber when Erap’s all-out war was ordered in 2000?

    Itanong nga kay Kirstey Kenney kung anong vitamins ang ipinainom diyan sa mga Abu!

  41. bitchevil bitchevil

    Coel, had the Spaniards come with swords on both hands, there would be no Filipino today. Had they come with cross on both hands, everyone would be in hell. Beliefs are not purely based on faith. It has to be coupled with works. I’m sorry to say that the Catholic Church is the apostatized church. There’s restoration…but this is a different lengthy topic to discuss.

  42. I have just read several articles inFrom the wilderness website.

    A teaser:

    “What’s happening? We don’t get it!”

    You would if you had been listening to what we have been saying for eighteen months. Peak Oil is here. The world is starting to run out. There is no more oil to find and what’s left can’t be put into your gas tank or our power generating stations quickly. Global production capacity is stretched like a rubber band about to break and the slightest hiccup in world oil production will crash the global economy like a Styrofoam cup under an elephant’s foot at a Rave party. Don’t believe me? Well then perhaps recent warnings by Goldman Sachs and James Baker might. Those warnings, and an incredibly precise economic analysis by Marshall Auerback, were recently published by The Prudent Bear at: http://www.prudentbear.com/archive_comm_article.asp?category=International+Perspective&content_idx=20368.

    To make it simple, the problem is this: In spite of microscopic fig leaves stating that OPEC will ramp up production to meet oil needs, the fact is that OPEC just can’t do it. Goldman Sachs knows it. James Baker knows it. Bush knows it. Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, having survived U.S. coup attempts, now holds a “whip hand” as Venezuelan production still lags behind. Saudi Arabia is unstable. Nigeria, the world’s sixth largest producer … just had an oil strike. Its production is down and every other producing facility is on overtime. In the latest issue of FTW we poke yet another hole in the grand illusion about an Iraqi windfall. It may take two to five years and as much as $50 billion in new investment to increase Iraqi production from two to five million barrels a day as the rest of the world’s reserves dry up.

    Michael Ruppert, expert on CIA affairs, wrote this in, guess? 2003.

    To me, this is the core of the Mindanao problem.

  43. coeL coeL

    Taliban, its good to know you have relatives and friends in Midsayap but you have not indicated that you live there now.
    Along the highway from Pigcawayan to Midsayap population of the municpalities are 80 % christians but the western sides (pawas)of this town are within reach of the Milf…they have spies in these towns…christians, half-christians and Muslims who have vested interest should the christians be driven from their home and farms.

    Would the persons whom you talked to be brave enough to stand at crossing Midsayap with a placard saying “peace” and would they go to the police station or PC barracks to tattle about a suspect terrorist or even send a letter with a return address? I doubt it. They told you…they will…did you see them do it? I know how people in these areas behave when a Christian-Muslims erupts…they want to live longer so they mind their own business and see to it they are above suspecion of anything…if they can defend themselves, they run away.

  44. Rose Rose

    Tongue: I do remember that line ..”Abu bin Laden may his tribe increase..awoke one night from a deep dream in sleep” How I wish the line would say..”awoke one night from a deep dream of peace…and to bortow a line from a song..”a wish is a dream your heart makes..

  45. juggernaut juggernaut

    Taliban,
    You’re wrong, we have to blame someone – Gloria!
    If we must do something, lets limit it to only two:
    1. Help in the relief efforts of the displaced and wounded in Mindanao (send money, food, clothes) to proper organizations doing this.
    2. Talk to our mayors, governors, congressmen, and senators to remove Gloria in the soonest possible time because the longer we wait, the damage will not be manageable anymore. Its like scorched earth policy already, she may give up power eventually, but then there may not be much of a country left…

  46. juggernaut juggernaut

    Brave soldiers getting killed for greater cause is to be considered heroic, but to die because of whore Gloria’s idiocy or stupidity is a total waste of human life. As I see it, soldiers are being sacrificed for whore Gloria’s incompetency to lead and the whore place in history. It’s regrettable. My condolence to the families of those Marines.” – Tony Cuevas

  47. bitchevil bitchevil

    “In this age of advanced technology and nonstop modernization, it may come as a surprise that a local company is a supplier of the world’s most powerful armed forces.

    Maxistar Enterprises Inc., which started as a subcontractor for the manufacture of M-16 rifles and aluminum magazines for Elitool—the biggest producer of army equipment during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos—is now the sole supplier of M-16 steel and aluminum magazines for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the militaries of the United States, Canada, Germany, South Africa and France.”

    ….Then, why can’t RP produce and manufacture own military weapons? We can make good handguns in Cebu. If we can make our own weapons, we don’t have to depend so much on foreign aids to support the AFP.

  48. Taliban Taliban

    COEL,

    For your information, I’m no longer living permanently in Midsayap due to the nature of my job. Right now I’m here in the area of Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte doing some voluntary works in the evacuation centers of displaced persons and doing the thihgs that I’ve lay down above.

    If I may ask you, do you have something in mind that may help solve the problem here in Mindanao. Or did you do something about it? Just asking.

  49. Taliban Taliban

    bitchevil,

    You are right. There are so many manufacturers of guns in Cebu and other parts of the country. What the government should do is to accredit these gunmakers and commission them to produce and devlop a world class firearms for the armed forces and the police.

  50. coeL coeL

    Taliban: I have a sneaking suspecion you were up to something the way you approached and presented your ideas.
    My prodding was not meant to offend you but rather find out what are up to. Yes, Kolambugan is very familiar…from Malabang I would proceed to Ozamis and down to Pagadian and board the Biruar’s Farida Lines with my service vehicle to Cotabato City. I took this route for couple of years until it was very dangerous to cross the Lanao boundary from Parang. I have lots of friends in Malabang.

    Since 1978 I started supporting deserving high graduates to
    go to their choice of bible school with these requirements:
    they believe in their heart that are choosened and called to the ministry and nationalistic. I imposed this last requirements because most Filipino pastors are easily swayed by their American missionaries counterparts to do other things rather than do their work as a minister. Aside from this I have started 4 years ago to support a church.
    I am a little bit financially burdened because I do not have a deep pocket, however, when I think of those boys I have helped I feel good and very gratified. My old man set that example of giving back that’s why all of my brothers have done thesame.

    I am sure you are happy with what you are doing and above all happy and pleased with yourself.

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