Army, police clash with armed men in Zamboanga Sibugay

Philippine Army and Philippine National Police forces on Thursday encountered more or less 15 armed men in the town of Naga in Zamboanga Sibugay province who were allegedly planning a "kidnapping activity." In a statement by the Army's 1st Infantry (TABAK) Division based in Labangan town, 44th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Yegor Barroquillo Jr. said the encounter happened before 5 p.m. The firefight between the Army and PNP units between the more or less fifteen "fully armed" men led by a certain Baser Sakilan lasted around 30 minutes, according to the statement. The Army also noted that the "said lawless group was about to conduct kidnapping activity in the area." The armed men fled the site of the firefight, leaving one M203 grenade launcher, one M2 caliber .30 carbine rifle, one rifle grenade, and assorted M16 rifle, M14 rifle and Garand rifle ammunition. Troops were deployed as of the statement's writing to pursue the armed men. The statement said there were no reported casualties on the military and police side while authorities were gathering information from the clash site for possible casualties on the armed men's side. — with Gian Geronimo /LBG, GMA News