16 rebels killed, injured in Maguindanao ‘air strike’ - military

MANILA, Philippines - Sixteen Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels were believed to have been killed or injured in an air strike conducted by government troops in Maguindanao province Monday morning, a military official said. Major Armand Rico of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command said the encounter started 9:55 a.m. when rebels on board 10 bancas opened fire at two SF-260 planes and two Huey helicopters dispatched to provide close-air support to ground troops in Gawang village in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town. “Such act of aggression (by the rebels) prompted the pilots to return fire,” Rico said, adding that one of the pilots claimed to have hit one of the bancas “bulls eye.” Rico said the soldiers in the aircraft used machine guns in retaliating. “Our latest report is that they suffered many casualties, there was a report per the account of the soldiers that they (rebels) have 16 casualties. Based on the account of the pilots, they hit one of the bancas bulls eye,” he said. Rico said the aircrafts, which came from the Tactical Operations Group 12 of the Air Force in the province, were to provide support to the patrolling troops from the 6th Division Reconnaissance Company that were earlier attacked by more or less 25 MILF rebels. The rebels were believed to be under Kumander Wahid Tundok, the operations officer of the MILF’s 105th Base Command. "They were to provide air support (for the ground troops) but they were fired upon. According to the pilots, they were being fired upon using cal. 50 from the ground...They were to deliver fire support but they were fired upon by those in the bancas,” Rico said. Monday’s encounter was the first during the observance of Ramadan, the Holy month for Muslims. Military forces have been ordered to limit the use of artillery assets and air strikes in deference to the observance of Ramadan, which started September 1. Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano has said that troops however are not prevented to proportionately employ such firepower when extremely necessary in addressing imminent threats from an overwhelming force of the lawless MILF rebels. When asked what prompted the military to dispatch aircraft in Monday’s fighting, Rico said: “The troops needed the air assets; this (need) depends on the assessment in the area. Apparently, there was a (rebel) reinforcement and there was a massing of forces as evidenced by the 10 bancas." - GMANews.TV