ADDITIONAL troops have been deployed and checkpoints have been established as the military continues to pursue the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander and his men who figured in a bloody clash with government troops last Saturday in Maimbung, Sulu.
“We sent additional forces in the area, especially for this (ongoing pursuit operation). We’ve dedicated a large force,” said Maj. Andrew Linao, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command based in Zamboanga City.
Linao said the objective is to capture MNLF commander and former Maimbung, Sulu vice mayor Pando Mudjasan and his followers. He said the military is also out to re-establish peace and security in the area.
Linao said they have established checkpoints in key areas “so the perpetrators won’t be able to escape.”
“We have deployed additional forces…I’m not disclosing the specifics of our augmentation so as not to impede the hot pursuit operation against Pando,” said Linao.
“On the level of the Western Mindanao Command, we are exhausting all our assets for this hot pursuit operation,” said Linao.
Last Saturday, soldiers and policemen swooped down on the lair of Mudjasan in Barangay Bualo Lipid, Maimbung to serve arrest warrants for murder and frustrated murder and search warrants for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Authorities initially said the fighting led to the death of a policeman and a follower of Mudjasan and the wounding of 13 policemen and a soldier.
Updating the numbers yesterday, Brig. Gen. Eugenio Boquio, commander of the Army’s 1101st Brigade, said the clash led to the death of a policeman and three followers of Mudjasan.
Ten policemen, a soldier, and two civilians were injured, he said.
Boquio said Mudjasan and his brother were also injured but were able to escape.
