JOLO, 11 February 2005 — Artillery and aircraft pounded rebel positions on the southern island of Jolo yesterday, the military said, on the fourth day of fighting that has caused more than 100 casualties.

A battalion comander was among three soldiers killed yesterday, raising the military’s toll to 23 dead and more than 50 wounded.

Lt. Col. Dennis Villanueva died at a military hospital in the provincial capital Jolo from blood loss after suffering shrapnel wounds, hospital staff said.

Two of his men were also killed and six wounded as the unit was hit by a mortar bomb while attacking supporters of jailed former Muslim separatist leader Nur Misuari in the village of Siit.

According to military reports the rebels suffered more than 60 dead or wounded in the past four days, in some of the most intense fighting in the region for years.

The authorities said they have surrounded the main remaining force of at least 200 gunmen near the town of Panamao.

A rebel camp in Panamao was overrun early yesterday, said southern military chief Lt. Gen. Alberto Braganza.

Several thousand people have fled their homes since the fighting erupted early Monday.

Filipino staff of the US Agency for International Development yesterday said they were ordered to leave the island.

Braganza vowed to crush the rebels unless they surrender.

“It’s either surrender or nothing. They should lay down their arms and surrender to me those who killed my soldiers there,” Braganza said.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual said field commanders had requested artillery and air strikes.

“That’s what we are doing now. We are softening the enemy’s positions before the troops go in,” Pascual said, adding that there have been no reports of rebel activity elsewhere in Jolo.

Braganza confirmed a number of US troops had arrived in Jolo, but said they were not involved in the operations and were acting in an advisory capacity.

There were no reports of civilian casualties, he said.

Those injured in the latest attack, Pascual said, were airlifted to a military hospital in Zamboanga City yesterday, while those slightly wounded remain in Jolo.

He said armed civilians, angry with the militants, have have fought side by side with troops in Patikul town.

“Civilians are arming themselves and helping us fight the bad guys.They are angry with the Abu Sayyaf and they are fighting them alongside with soldiers,” Pascual said.

Villanueva was a former commander of the Army’s Intelligence Security Unit (ISU) in the south.

He was also decorated officer who led soldiers in the capture of many Abu Sayyaf militants in Basilan and Jolo the past years.

Villanueva was last assigned in the central Philippines where he also led the military in the capture and surrender of senior leaders of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The rebels, numbering about 800, had simultaneously attacked on Monday military targets in the towns of Parang, Patikul, Talipao and Panamao.

The attacks were triggered by the death of three civilians, including 14-year-old Aldasir Padiwan, during clashes between troops and Abu Sayyaf militants last week, officials said.

— Additional input from AFP