The Philippine military is verifying field reports indicating that Abu Sayyaf bandit group leader and spokesman Abu Sabaya was killed in an encounter with government troops Friday morning.
Two of Abu Sabaya's companions were also killed in the encounter with elements of the Philippine Marines and Navy specialwarfare group at a coastal village in the southern province of Zamboanga del Norte at 4:20 a.m. Friday (GMT 2020 Thursday).
Melchor Rosales, spokesman for the Department of National Defense, said in Manila that the military is interrogating four suspected bandits arrested in the clash, in which a boat used by the bandits was sunk, the ABS-CBN news channel reported.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2002)
