One of the two alleged remaining Abu Sayyaf bandits in Bohol was gunned down in Pangganan, Calape at past 1 p .m. on Monday, according to the Calape Police Station.
Authorities have not yet identified which of the two ASG fighters were killed but police noted that it happened after an alleged hostage-taking.
According to Calape police, the two suspects took a hostage and stole a motorcycle in an attempt to escape.
Security forces including the military have yet to verify the circumstances surrounding the death of the alleged ASG militant.
Several residents in Pangganan, Calape said that the alleged extremist took as a hostage a man who was gathering seashells.
The two alleged ASG members were reportedly last spotted at 3 p.m. Thursday in Brgy. Cahayag in Panggangan Island, Calape.
According to Barangay Captain Victor Talatagud, the two suspected ASG men were first spotted on Wednesday night alerting authorities on their presence.
The villagers however immediately lost sight of the men while one of the alleged bandits reemerged the next day and knocked on a villager’s door to ask for food.
The resident, only identified by authorities as a 17-year-old boy, vaguely described the alleged bandit as the suspect partly covered his face with a cloth, possibly a shirt.
A manhunt ensued after children who saw the suspect reportedly shouted “Abu Sayyaf” startling the alleged ASG fighter and prompting him to run towards a forest area.
Barangay officials and military personnel pursued the suspect but eventually escaped from authorities.
In an interview with media, Talatagud said that the two suspected bandits were first spotted on board a small boat at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The men docked near a mangrove forest but quickly went out of sight, said Talatagud. (Allen Doydora)
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