Western Mindanao Command Chief Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr. said that a.k.a. Botak, an Abu Sayyaf Group member, was killed during a short encounter with the government forces in Basilan on Thursday afternoon, October 29, 2020.
Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. further said that a five-minute firefight with three ASG members broke around 4:00 this afternoon in Brgy. Felang, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan Province which resulted in the death of a.k.a. Botak, a known follower of ASG Sub-Leader Furuji Indama who was also killed during the encounter with the troops of 44IB last September 2020.
“The neutralized personality was onboard a motorcycle along with two of his comrades when they were intercepted by the operating troops of the 101st Infantry Brigade and the 18th Infantry Battalion, and the firefight ensued,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr.
According to Joint Task Force Basilan Commander Col. Domingo Gobway, the troops were able to recover the dead body of a.k.a. Botak, one M60 machine gun, and one motorcycle at the clash site. Col. Gobway further stated that “our operating troops continue to scour the area to arrest the companions of a.k.a. Botak.”
Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. said that the military desires to end local armed conflicts in a peaceful way, nevertheless; he vows to sustain the military offensives against those who remain resistant.
(Source: Western Mindanao Command)
