4 hurt as fresh fighting erupts in Basilan — AFP

Four elite Army Scout Rangers were hurt as fresh fighting erupted in the volatile southern Philippine province of Basilan Tuesday, a regional military official said Wednesday. Citing field reports, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino said elements of the 4th Scout Ranger Company clashed with an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf bandits south of Abong-Abong Peak in Sumisip town about 7:40 a.m. Tuesday. The injured soldiers, who were hit by a booby trap explosion, were airlifted to a local hospital, Dolorfino said. Government forces delivered artillery/mortar fires against the al-Qaeda-linked bandits, although no enemy casualties were determined. On April 13, suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits staged a series of attacks in the provincial capital of Isabela City, killing 11 people, including three Marines. [See: Military tags Abu Sayyaf in Basilan explosions] Malacañang, however, rejected calls for the imposition of martial law in the province, saying the incident could not be compared to the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province. [See: Palace rejects call for martial law in Basilan] — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV