ZAMBOANGA CITY—Marines on combat patrol killed a suspected Abu Sayyaf bandit in a predawn clash in the hinterlands of Sulu, where offensive continues against the remaining bandit leaders and their armed followers.

The clash happened four days after the Marine Force Recon Battalion was redeployed to the province to conduct special operations against the bandits.

The battalion, headed by Lt. Col. Ruben Candelario, left this city on Monday night.

Col. Natalio Ecarma, commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade, said the clash took place about 5:40 a.m. Friday in barangay Pansul, Patikul town, where one of the remaining bandit leaders is based.

Ecarma said the troops recovered the remains of the slain bandit, close to 200 rounds of ammunition for M-16 rifle, a cellular phone and some documents.

Ecarma believes that the slain bandit was a follower of the Patikul-based one-armed Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron, the oldest among the senior bandits.

Ecarma disclosed that pursuit operations continue against the bandit group that figured in Friday’s clash.

The Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, earlier said the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and other lawless elements will continue despite the observance of the Holy Week.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits are still holding captive a female rice trader, who was seized almost two months ago in Jolo, the capital of Sulu.

Maria Rosalie Lao, 58, was kidnapped in the afternoon of January 28 near her residence in the village of Kakuayagan, Jolo.

The bandits are also holding another hostage, Omar Taup, who was kidnapped on January 15.

Taup was seized by the bandits during the botched kidnap attempt on Fr. Reynaldo Roda. Roda was killed when he fought off his would-be kidnappers.

The bandits earlier demanded a P1 million ransom for Taup, the principal of Notre Dame School of Tabawan.

The ransom, however, has been reduced to P350,000. The bandits said the amount is only good for the “board and lodging” of the victim as well as his “safekeeping.”

Palace, Congress told to take common stand on archipelagic baselines

Malacañang and Congress were asked to adopt a common position to quickly pass a new law delineating the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines to protect its territorial right over the disputed Kalayaan Group of Islands, also known as the Spratly Islands.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Marines on combat patrol killed a suspected Abu Sayyaf bandit in a predawn clash in the hinterlands of Sulu, where offensive continues against the remaining bandit leaders and their armed followers.

THE European Union (EU) has allocated €27.325 million to support risk reductions due to natural calamities in disaster-prone countries in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Central America.

INSTEAD of using government funds for unnecessary foreign travels and throwing lavish receptions for foreign dignitaries, the House leadership said it would divert funds for that purpose to social services and infrastructures.

BECAUSE a number of witnesses or resource persons were oftentimes insulted and put in compromising situations during legislative inquiries, a legislator has proposed the adoption of a rule book to stop such practice as well as repetitive and circuitous debates and discussions.

TO resolve the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) conflict with mayors on the ticketing of traffic violators, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando will meet with Metro Manila mayors this week and discuss the implementation of the single traffic-ticketing system commonly known as the Metro Traffic Ticketing (MTT).

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has assured that Presidential Proclamation 1377 issued by President Arroyo last year, which grants amnesty to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF ) and other rebel groups, will not violate the equal-protection clause under the Constitution.