October 15, 2009, GMA News, 12:29 PM, 5 Marines hurt in Sulu clash,

October 15, 2009, GMA News, 12:29 PM, 5 Marines hurt in Sulu clash, 

Five Marines were wounded following a clash with unidentified gunmen in the southern Philippine province of Sulu Wednesday afternoon, a regional military official said. 

Authorities believed three gunmen were killed although no bodies were recovered.

In a text message to reporters on Thursday, Maj. David Hontiveros of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command said the clash erupted about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday when the Marines chanced upon an undetermined number of gunmen in Masjid Bayle village in Kalingalan Caluang town.

The wounded troops are being treated at a local hospital, Hontiveros said.

He added that they are still verifying if the armed men were members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf, which is known to have forces in the strife-torn region.

Apart from the Abu Sayyaf, other armed groups in the province are members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and those being maintained reportedly by local politicians. - GMANews.TV