COTABATO CITY—A 16-year-old civilian named Saat Manadal of Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao, is still fighting for his life days after he was hit by stray bullets at the height of the encounter between Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) guerrillas and police commandos on Sunday.
Manadal underwent surgery on Thursday to remove bullets from his chest and remained at the intensive care unit of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center.
Manadal’s sibling told dxMS Radyo Bida that they were fleeing early Sunday morning but his mother ordered his brother to return to Tukanalipao to get the family’s carabao.
As he was trying to save the carabao, he was hit by a stray bullet in the chest. The bullet was extracted on Thursday.
Badruddin Langalan, 21, was killed when hit by stray bullets during the firefight. His wife, Sarah, 19, recalled he went to Tukanalipao to charge his cell phone but did not return.
On Monday she learned that Langalan died and was buried. His remains were recovered with his hands hogtied.
Meanwhile, about 1,324 families, or about 7,000 individuals, remained in evacuation centers in Mamasapano town center.
Displaced families have received aid from government relief agencies.
About 300 police special action force members swooped down a terrorist’s lair in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, early Sunday to get Malaysian bombing experts Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his Filipino cohort Abdul Basit Usman.
Police officials claimed that Marwan was killed and his hand, some reports say finger, was cut off for DNA tests. Usman reportedly managed to escape, although wounded.
The fighting, which lasted for eight hours, left 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers, 11 MILF guerrillas, five BIFF gunmen and a civilian dead.
In Legazpi city, meanwhile, the Day of Mourning for the fallen police commandos was observed with reverence by police and military units, as well as civilian and local government officials.
Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda said the Provincial Board has passed a resolution on Friday, unanimously approving a P10,000 cash assistance, or a total of P440,000 for the 44 SAF troopers who were killed by Moro guerrillas.
Salceda said the day of mourning was strongly felt in the region’s six provinces, as two of the the SAF fatalities are from Bicol.
“We feel there can be no peace if justice is not obtained for the 44 SAF commandos who were killed,” said Supt. Marlo S. Meneses, Albay police commander.
PNA and Manly Ugalde