By Robina Asido

Casualties due to a service of arrest and search warrants on Saturday against former Maimbung, Sulu Vice Mayor Pando Mudjasan has risen with four people killed, including a member of Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Brig. Gen. Eugenio Boquio, commander 1101st Infantry Brigade, said Monday aside from the SAF member, three armed men from the group of Mudjasan were killed.

Mudjasan, who police say was not in the fire fight, is the subject of a manhunt.

Boquio said 10 other policemen, including six SAF personnel, one soldier from 42st Infantry Battalion, two civilians and two others from the enemy , including Mudjasan were wounded because of the firefight.

Maj. Andrew Linao, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said the wounded forces and civilians were transported to Zamboanga City for treatment.

"Our air assets were dedicated for casualty evacuation to transport wounded PNP and civilians from Sulu, they are here in Zamboanga now," he said.

Linao said government forces also recovered burnt high powered firearms, including an M14 rifle from the encounter site.

He said the clash broke out while the joint military and police forces were serving the search warrant against Mudjasan in Maimbung, Sulu last Saturday.

Linao said aside from the search warrant, Mudjasan also has an existing warrant of arrest for murder and frustrated murder.

As of Monday, Boquio said the military forces are conducting blocking operations to make sure no one can enter and move out of the area while the pursuit is still ongoing against Mudjasan.

"We sealed off the area because we have a fixed target. We sealed off the area to make sure that sympathizers will not be able to enter," he said.

Linao said so far around 5,000 to 6,000 people in Maimbung were displaced because of the sporadic fighting since the service of warrant last Saturday.

"They were scared. That is why we are urging the residents to stay calm, but there is a firefight near the community... The Municipal Social Welfare Development Office (MSWDO) and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management of Maimbung Sulu are there to cater to them," he said.

Linao said the military has sent additional forces to support the law enforcement operation of the PNP against Mudjasan and his "private armed group".

"At the level of the Army, we have already sent additional forces in the area, I don't have the number but we have a large number of forces deployed there," he said. DMS