Cousin of Mundi Sawadjaan killed in Patikul encounter — JTF Sulu

A suspected sub-leader and bomb maker of the Abu Sayyaf was killed in an encounter in Patikul, Sulu on Monday morning, the Joint Task Force Sulu said.

The military identified the killed bandit as Arsibar Sawadjaan, a cousin of Mundi Sawadjaan, the alleged mastermind of the twin explosions in Jolo town on August 24.

The JTF Sulu said troops from the 45th Infantry Battalion had an encounter with more or less 40 local terrorists at the group's temporary harbor site in Barangay Maligay.

No casualty was reported on the government side.

Government forces received a tip from a concerned citizen in Barangay Tanum about the presence of the group of Mundi and Radulan Sahiron in the area.

JTF Sulu commander Brigadier General William Gonzales lauded the troops for this latest development in hunting down the ASG bandits.

Earlier, police said the assistant of Mundi was arrested in Zamboanga City on Sunday. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News