Injured	Killed
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Date: 28 November 2013
Source: Journal Online

FOUR suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who were said to be involved in the kidnapping of a village chief and his wife were killed in an encounter the other day in Pata Island, Sulu.

Senior Supt. Abraham Orbita, Sulu police director, said the encounter occurred at around 2 p.m. between combined forces of the Philippine Marines and Philippine National Police (PNP) and the bandits off Pata Island.

The official said  security forces received information that the bandits were hiding their victims, identified as Pilardo Francisco, village chief of Landugan, Lantawan, Basilan, and his wife Saharina, public school teacher in the island.

It can be recalled that the couple were abducted by the group  wearing fatigue uniforms last Nov. 16 in the seawaters of Lantawan and Maluso, Basilan.

The group reportedly asked P15 million in ransom from the family of their victims in exchange for their release.

Acting on the report, troops immediately conducted a pursuit operation which led to an encounter with the four pump boat-riding bandits.

According to the police official, the pump boat of the bandits capsized at the height of the encounter.

However, troops failed to find and rescue the couple in the said Island as they believed that they were already transferred by other kidnappers to another hideout.

Authorities are conducting follow-up investigation into the incident.