5 Terror Suspects Killed in Cotabato Firefight

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Five suspected members of terror group Dawlah Islamiya were killed in an alleged shootout with state forces in Pikit, Cotabato on Thursday. The fatalities – identified as Bebeh Camsa, Marhum Esmael, Ali Manduh, Rasul Tito and Halim Usman – died at the scene of the encounter, which occurred in Barangay Inug-ug. The military said the fatalities were wanted for multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, arson, armed robbery and drug trafficking. The cases against the suspects have been pending in different courts in Cotabato, Maguindanao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat. Lt. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, acting chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said a combined team of the police and military responded to reports about the presence of wanted men in the village. Cagara said the team was about to serve an arrest warrant, but the suspects reportedly drew their guns, triggering a firefight that resulted in their death. Authorities said the fatalities were tagged in an ambush in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur in March, which killed five policemen and wounded three others. The military said more than 30 followers of Esmael and Usman who are experts in making improvised explosive devices surrendered to the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) in the past few months, and have been reintegrated in different communities. Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog, acting chief of the 6ID, said a rifle belonging to a policeman killed in an ambush in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat last month was found beside the remains of one of the terrorists.