(CNN Philippines) — Malacañan announced on Sunday (May 3) that Filipino terrorist Abdul Basit Usman was killed in a clash with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at noon of the same day.
The Central Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and the MILF also confirmed the information.
Usman was killed in a firefight in Guindulungan, Maguindanao, according to Presidential Commuications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
Earlier, Brig. Gen. Joselito Kakilala, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the military received information that Usman was killed in an encounter with MILF forces led by Commander Barok in Guindulungan, Maguindanao.
Usman was one of the high-profile targets in the botched police operation in Mamasapano last January 25.
Usman’s reported death came two months after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the death of Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, another target of the Mamasapano operation, which left at least 65 people dead, including 44 Special Action Force Commandos.
CNN Philippines’ Gerg Cahiles and Louie U. Navarro and stringer Erwin Cabilbigan contributed to this report.
