MILITARY DECLARES VICTORY IN SIBUGAY

By Jaime Laude and Roel Pareño (The Philippine Star) The military leadership in the Zamboanga peninsula yesterday declared victory over a group headed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Wahid Abdusalam in Zamboanga Sibugay. Military officials led by Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer yesterday set foot in the highly fortified stronghold of Abdusalam and his men at Sitio Talaib, Barangay Labatan in Payao town following days of heavy fighting and bombing sorties that left 13 dead and forced thousands of civilians to flee.