Military verifying death of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Susukan

Government forces are verifying information that one of Abu Sayyaf's sub-commanders, Indang Susukan, has died due to injuries he sustained from a military offensive in Sulu earlier this month.

"Wala pa tayong confirmation, kaya hinahanap nga namin kung saan ito nilibing, kaya hindi pa natin ma-announce hanggang hindi natin [malaman] yung kung saan nilibing," said Brigadier General Divino Rey Pabayo of Joint Task Force Sulu.

Susukan was among the 15 Abu Sayyaf members reported injured in a fierce firefight between Army soldiers and the Abu Sayyaf faction under Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan in Patikul, Sulu, last weekend.

Five soldiers and three Abu Sayyaf members were killed in the clash.

Pabayo said they heard of Susukan's supposed death from various sources, but added that pending confirmation, they are considering it "hearsay."

"Hingi nga rin masabi kung kelan [namatay], kung kahapon, ngayon," Pabayo said. "May nagsabi ngayon, may nagsabi kahapon, may nagsabi isang araw. Wala pa, puro hearsay pa lang."

Once confirmed, Pabayo said it will be a big blow to the Abu Sayyaf, the a small band of Islamic fundamentalists blamed for the January 27 twin bombings at a Roman Catholic cathedral in Jolo that killed 23 people and injured more than 100.

"Isa 'yan sa mga kilalang commander dito, sub-commander, mga high-profile kidnapping sila yun, sa kanya 'yan, si Indang, malaki ang grupo n'yan," he said.

For his part, Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said "progress reports from various sources on the ground indicate" that Susukan perished due to hi "severe injuries."

"Notwithstanding these reports that tend to confirm each other, our troops in the area endeavor to locate his remains for us to conclusively report through DNA test that he indeed is dead," he said. —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News