International Terrorist Basit Usman Allegedly Killed During Pacquiao-Mayweather Fight

A Manny Pacquiao match always results in life in the Philippines coming to a standstill as Filipinos watch their sports hero bring home the belt. That translates into almost zero crime rates in major cities, matched only when Pope Francis visited the country in January.

On Sunday (Philippine time), when the world’s eyes was glued on the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., this was again replicated. But it was further improved as one source of criminality was killed while the bout was ongoing.

Interaksyon reports that Basit Usman, an international terrorist, on Sunday noon. He and two other companions were shot dead in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF, in Guindolongan town in Maguindanao.

The Web site cited government sources as the basis of its report, but Brigadier General Joselito Kakilala, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the military is still verifying and confirming the report.

Usman, a Filipino bomb-maker, escaped when police commandos, members of the Special Action Force, closed in on his fellow terrorist, Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, who was killed on Jan 25 in what is now tagged as the Mamasapano Massacre. While Marwan was confirmed killed by the commandos who were about to arrest the Malaysia bomb expert, 44 of the 45 commandos were killed in an encounter with the MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, or BIFF.

The speculations is that Usman went out at late Sunday morning, thinking it was safe to do so since the whole country is all eyes on the Battle for Greatness. In the end, if reports are true, it was the MILF, an ally of the BIFF - but is negotiating with the Philippine government for Muslim autonomous rule - that did the terrorist in.

Initial reports said that Usman was only wounded in Lanao, according to GMA News.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au