Killed was Benjamin Salih, the No. 1 kagawad of Barangay Lower Manggal, Lantawan. He sustained bullet wounds in the body and died on the spot.

On the other hand, the military said that Salih was killed in an encounter with soldiers.

An Associated Press report quoting Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said that Salih had long been wanted for allegedly helping in the 2001 kidnapping of three American and 17 Filipino tourists and the takeover of a hospital.

Salih’s wife in an interview with local newsmen said they were sleeping inside their house before 3 a.m. when they were awakened by a loud noise coming from the door.

She said the gunmen smashed the door and broke into their house.

The wife said that they were surprised to see armed men wearing military uniform with combat helmets who suddenly shot her husband.

She said that one of the gunmen pushed her down the floor while others ransacked their valuables including P20,000 in cash which was intended for laborers who were working in their barangay project.

Abduljalal Manuel, barangay chairman and concurrent president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) in Lantawan, said when he heard the burst of gunfire, he rushed to the house of Salih, but one of the uniformed men shot him, but missed.

At this point, Manuel introduced himself as the barangay head of the said place prompting the gunmen to leave the place aboard two speed boats.

Manuel said he believed the gunmen were military operatives but could not say what particularl unit.

He added that Salih had been accused as a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group, but he (Manuel) denied it.

Manuel said that Salih was a law abiding citizen and a barangay councilman of the said place.

Several years ago, Salih was arrested by soldiers after he was accused as a member of the ASG but he was immediately released due to lack of evidence.

Salih’s body was taken to Zamboanga City yesterday for post mortem examination and was brought back to Lantawan, Basilan for burial in an Islam rites.

The AP report identified Salih with Abdulkarim as first name .

It said the other ASG militants fled during the encounter, leaving behind Sali’s body, an M16 rifle and grenade launcher, ammunition and cell phones.

The report said the government had offered a $7,700 bounty for the capture or death of Sali, who has been accused of helping kidnap three American and 17 mostly Chinese Filipino tourists in May 2001 from the Dos Palmas resort in western Palawan province.

Meanwhile, dozens of rebels from a larger Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, attacked a village in Basilan’s Lamitan town yesterday, killing one villager and wounding another, police said.

A rebel commander, Hud Limaya, led the attack to avenge the recent killing of his relative by a clan based in the town, police and military officials said. The rebels withdrew when army troops were deployed to contain the violence.