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AFP slams MILF over clash

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will lodge a complaint against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for allowing its fighters to join Abu Sayyaf extremists in the gun battle with government troops in Basilan last Wednesday. Military information chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the AFP will file the complaint against the MILF’s 114th Base Command in Basilan before the joint ceasefire committee. Brawner said the MILF had been notified of the planned militar...

31 Abus, 23 troops killed in Basilan

MANILA, Philippines - Intense firefights between government forces and Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan since Wednesday have killed 54 people and left 22 others wounded, the military said yesterday. Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said 31 Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while the government forces suffered 23 casualties. Two of the fatalities were junior officers. The firefight broke out early Wednesday after the military launched a major offensive on a suspected Abu Sayyaf training camp ...

Cotabato grenade blast kills 1, wounds 11

COTABATO CITY , Philippines   – A militiaman was killed and 11 people – five of them policemen – were wounded in two bombings and an ambush in Ma-guindanao yesterday. Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Armed Forces spokesman, said military intelligence has warned of more bombings in Central Mindanao. “The recent attacks are connected to each other, and the objective is, of course, aside from sowing terror in the area, to divert the attention of our troops so they would not focus all resources...

No to amnesty for Abu Sayyaf

MANILA, Philippines - The proposal to grant amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf drew flak from various sectors yesterday as Malacañang said the move is “more unlikely than likely” to be considered. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita had said Malacañang would carefully study the proposal of Sen. Richard Gordon, who claimed to have information that some Abu Sayyaf commanders wanted amnesty and livelihood assistance in exchange for laying down their arms. Security officials led by Defense Secretary G...

Vagni leaves RP

MANILA - After nearly six months in the hands of Abu Sayyaf bandits, freed International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) worker Eugenio Vagni left for Italy Wednesday morning. Reports received by ABS-CBN News said Vagni took the KLM flight 804 at 10:45 am at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) bound for Amsterdam. From Amsterdam, Vagni will fly to Italy. Meanwhile, the Filipino community in Florence, Italy has prepared a Thanksgiving Mass for Vagni. Consul Fabio Fanfani, ...