DND, AFP chiefs rush to Basilan after ambush on military convoy

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Antonio Nafarrete rushed to Basilan on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to map out security measures and check on wounded troops following a bloody ambush on a military convoy in Tipo-Tipo a day earlier.

Teodoro and Nafarrete convened a security conference with local leaders, led by Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman, at the headquarters of the 1101st Infantry Brigade in Barangay Tabiawan, Isabela City, to assess the situation and discuss measures to address lawless elements and the activities that sustain them and address the broader security and law enforcement concerns affecting communities in Basilan.

READ: 11 gov’t troops wounded in Basilan daylight ambush

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Teodoro pointed out that safeguarding local communities remains at the heart of the government’s security efforts, noting that the illegal drug trade is also a national security concern. 

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Following the briefing, the Defense chief and the AFP chief flew to Zamboanga City to visit the soldiers injured in the Oct. 5 attack, who are currently recovering at the Camp Navarro General Hospital. 

Teodoro personally assessed the troops’ condition, expressed full government support, and conferred military medals in recognition of their valor and sacrifice.

The attack drew swift and harsh condemnation from Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, who ordered regional agencies to extend full support to affected units and victims.

“The Bangsamoro Government condemns in the strongest terms the ambush that took place yesterday, Oct. 5, in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan,” Macacua said in a statement. 

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“There can be no justification for violence against those who serve the public and uphold the law,” he added.

Macacua urged law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice under existing laws and peace mechanisms. He also appealed to the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information.

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“Basilan, and the Bangsamoro as a whole, have endured far too much conflict. We must not allow acts of violence to undermine the peace that generations of our people have struggled and sacrificed to build,” Macacua added.

Meanwhile, Hataman assured the public that the provincial government of Basilan will maintain a unified front with security forces to preserve peace and order across the island province. /cb