Two of the eight detainees who escaped from the Basilan Provincial Jail a week ago were killed by soldiers during a firefight on Sunday in Isabela City, Basilan, the military reported on Monday.
Joint Task Force Basilan commander Col. Domingo Gobway identified the dead fugitives as Nurhassan Lahaman and Battuh Kusain Murag, who both died during a five-minute firefight with soldiers at Barangay Cabunbata, Isabela City.
According to Gobway, Lahaman was a former terrorist who was detained for murder, while Murag, also a former terrorist, was involved in the Lamitan City bombing on July 30, 2018, and was detained for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges.
The two were among the eight detainees who bolted from the Basilan Provincial Jail on October 13 by killing a jail guard whom they overpowered. They shot him with his own firearm.
“Based on the report from the ground, our troops from the 4th Special Forces Battalion were conducting pursuit operation at Rubber-land Resort in Barangay Cabunbata, Isabela City to possibly apprehend the fugitives of the jailbreak which transpired on October 13 when they sighted the two in the area,” said Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr.
“Becoming aware of the presence of the military troops, the two fugitives initiated a firefight which forced the soldiers to retaliate,” he added.
Recovered from the slain fugitives were an M-653 rifle with a short magazine and 17 ammunition and a .45 caliber pistol with a magazine loaded with bullets.
Westmincom spokesman Lt. Col. Alaric delos Santos said another escapee identified as Mahad Hassan has been arrested by operating troops on October 14 at Barangay Calvario in Isabela City.
“The military and the police are in hot pursuit of the remaining escapees. We cannot deny the fact that they are familiar with the terrain, but, we are maximizing our efforts to expedite the arrest of the remaining fugitives the soonest possible,” Vinluan said.