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AFP: Alert villagers repulse MILF attack in Sarangani


MANILA, Philippines - Villagers on Monday night repulsed an attack of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the southern Philippine province of Sarangani. Lieutenant Colonel Edgardo de Leon, commander of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion, said the rebels were maneuvering to Nomoh village in Maasim town when fired upon by village officials and some residents. The rebels were reportedly targeting the residence of the village chairman Luna Tabalao. “They noticed that the rebels were crawling, about 18 of 20 of them. They (village officials and residents) opened fired and the rebels fired back while withdrawing. It (attack) was pre-empted, there was resistance (from the residents),” he said. The firefight lasted for at least 10 minutes, with the villagers reportedly using Garand and Carbine rifles while the rebels were armed M16 and 14 rifles as evidenced by the shells recovered. “The resistance caused the enemies to withdraw eastward to the hinterlands,” De Leon said. De Leon said the rebels planned to attack Tabalao because they suspected him of tipping the military of enemy presence in a nearby village last August 22, causing a clash that resulted in massive casualties on the rebel side. - GMANews.TV
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