Four suspected Abu Sayyaf members were killed in a...

Four suspected Abu Sayyaf members were killed in a reported encounter. Families then have called for an independent probe of the incident, insisting that the four were victims of a summary execution.
Three of the four suspects, whom police claimed were part of the group responsible for former week's blasts that killed 15 people, were identified by their relatives as brothers Dennis and Dona Masla of Pikit, North Cotabato; and Roger Garcia Benito of Glan, Sarangani. The fourth fatality was only identified as a certain alias Ruping who was reportedly a native of Malapatan, Sarangani.
Police authorities have said they were responding to reports of an arms landing when they clashed with at least 10 heavily armed men aboard a motorized banca that was about to land at the shores of Sitio Royeca in Brgy. Bula at about 3:45 a.m.