Last April 5, 2011, 2 civilians and 1 military major lost their lives during the attack of unknown men on a Rural Transit Bus routing in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay. These rebels were suspected as members of the famous Special Operations Group of Moro Islamic Liberation Front based in Mindanao.
The following days, more specifically April 7 2011, the government armed forces encountered heavy fire fight with another group of men, still on the same location where the bus attack takes place, where they have taken 9 lives of their opponents which they (–foul word(s) removed–)umed as members of the Moros also. These nine mens killed along the encounter were recovered with high powered fire arms reported to the head officials.
During the conflict, the Commander of the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade, Colonel Santiago Baluyot, recognized one of these armed men they encountered as Kamsa Asdanal. Colonel Baluyot alleged that these people of Asdanal are members of these Special Operations Group of the MILF. These group were famous for there enormity and frequent involvements in different cases of kidnappings.
Aside from Colonel Baluyot insights, Brigadier General Noel Coballes of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division also cited Kamsa Asdanal as the commander of the group known for extortion which operates in the parameters of Zamboanga. He was described to be as a “very notorious pirate leader”.
The Western Mindanao Command declares that they already have the ideas and known some identities behind these consecutive attacks and serious incidents happening within the vicinity of Zamboanga which some of them were confirmed as members of this MILF. For now, the government forces are still busy running follow-up investigations and operations.