Army man killed, 8 others, including 10-year-old, hurt in Basilan ambush

Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google.

A Philippine Army member was killed, and eight others, including a 10-year-old civilian, were wounded in an ambush in Basilan, according to authorities on Friday.

Captain Brent Dacquigan of the 1101st Infantry Brigade told GMA News Online that the wounded individuals include six Army personnel and two civilians.

“Unfortunately, we have one personnel who succumbed to his injuries,” he said in a message.

Earlier in the day, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Allen Rae Co reported that the Army personnel were returning to their camp in Tipo-Tipo after picking up colleagues from the port of Lamitan when they were attacked on Thursday.

“Yesterday, October 8, at around 6:15 in the evening, ay nagkaroon po uli ng ambush sa Lamitan, Basilan. Unfortunately, meron pong wounded na nine, dalawang civilians and seven Philippine Army troopers. One of whom is in critical condition,” Co said.

(Yesterday, October 8, at around 6:15 in the evening, there was another ambush in Lamitan, Basilan. Unfortunately, nine people were wounded, two civilians and seven Philippine Army troopers. One of them is in critical condition.)

The two wounded civilians are father and son, who were passing by when the incident happened, according to Co.

Investigators were looking into the possibility that the attack was connected to the ambush in Tipo-Tipo in the same province on October 5, which left 10 Army personnel and one civilian auxiliary wounded.

The military said the first attack was believed to have been carried out as retaliation by an armed faction under Saddam Siddick.

According to the military, this ambush was possibly connected to a recent operation in Barangay Baimbing in Lamitan City, where an armed encounter occurred and Siddick's wife, identified as Nermalyn Salapuddin Musa, was killed. –NB, GMA News