The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into the role of a couple whose house became the overnight sanctuary for 11 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists who arrived on three pump boats in Inabanga, Bohol last week.
Capt. Jojo Mascareñas, civil military operations officer of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, said the civilians, identified as Constancio Petalco and wife Crisenta, were among six ASG members killed during the encounter with the military.
Residents of Inabanga denied the couple were ASG supporters but Mascareñas said Crisenta was the aunt of Joselito Melloria @ Abu Ali who was believed to be the one who guided the other ASG members to the said place.
“The PNP is investigating the involvement of the couple with ASG and their participation during the encounter with the military,” Mascareñas said.
Mascareñas said it was not true that the couple ran away from their house as soon as the ASG members arrived as claimed by their relatives.
He said the couple were actually the contacts of the ASG in Bohol because the terrorists would have not come in Bohol without a contact.
“Hindi sila tumakbo. Natutulog sila kasama iyong mga terorista. Magkasama silang natutulog sa bahay. During that time, nagduduyan-duyan iyong mga Abu Sayyaf sa bahay mismo nila, so iyong dalawang civilian na iyon nandoon sa loob,” he stressed.
Col. Edgardo Arevalo, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ public affairs office, said the AFP was also surprised to learn that civilian couple were among the reported six ASG members killed.
Arevalo insisted that there were no more civilians left in the scene of the encounter when combat operations began because they had all been evacuated.
“We do not want to speculate, that is why we would like the investigation to continue and to be concluded,” he said.
“It’s too early for us to conclude if they are members, if they are not members, if they are coddlers, were they held hostage, or they were actually killed by the Abu Sayyaf,” he stressed.