ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/ November 11)— A suspected member of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute group was slain by soldiers in a brief early morning gunfight in the hinterlands of Salvador town, Lanao del Norte Sunday morning, November 9.
In a statement released by the 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division of the Philippine Army, troops of the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion under the Joint Task Group “Magbalantay” (JTG Magbalantay) chanced upon three heavily armed suspects at Sitio Palangakon in the village of Pawak, Salvador, Lanao del Norte at about 6:30 in the morning, Sunday.
Two of the three suspects managed to escape after a 20-minute gunfight. A third, identified as Ibrahim Ampaso, also known by his aliases “Ibra” and “Abu Raas”, was killed in the exchange of gun fire, the Army said.
Ampaso, reportedly high on the list of wanted terrorists, operated in the areas between Munai and Kauswagan towns, Lanao del Norte, according to the Army.
Recovered from the encounter site were two M16A1 rifles with defaced serial numbers, two M14 rifles, and one M203 grenade launcher, also with a tampered serial number. Also recovered were various items such as Baofeng radios, rifle magazines, assorted ammunition, and smartphones.
“We commend the professionalism and bravery of our troops and police partners in denying violent extremist elements a haven; we remain committed to lawful, intelligence‑driven operations to protect our communities,” Brigadier General Ronel R. Manalo, the commander of JTG Magbalantay, was quoted in the statement as saying.
Meanwhile, Major General Yegor Rey P. Barroquillo Jr., the commander of Joint Task Force Zampelan, said the neutralization of Ampaso underscores the effectiveness of coordinated operations and public cooperation.
“We urge citizens to continue sharing information to help dismantle extremist networks.” Maj. Gen. Barroquillo said. (Richel V. Umel/MindaNews)
