A Filipino Marine officer was killed Monday afternoon when government forces encountered a large group of Abu Sayyaf Group terrorists earlier that day in the outskirts of Patikul town in Sulu, southern Philippines, a military official reported Tuesday.

Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan did not give the identity of the slain officer, only describing him as holding the rank of second lieutenant.

Five Marine soldiers were wounded in the clash with some 80 terrorists believed to be led by Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sahiron, alias commander Putol, one of the top terrorist leader based in Sulu province, said the spokesman.

"Definitely the enemy suffered casualties but we don't want to give exact figures," said the spokesman, adding that not a single body of the enemy had been recovered from the scene of encounter.

Thousands of government forces are engaged in the offensive in Sulu dubbed Operation Plan Ultimatum. The operation that began Aug. 1 is aimed at neutralizing Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and his two Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) cohorts in Sulu.

Most of the 6,000 government soldiers engaged in the ground operations are from the Marines.

An earlier report by local television network said two Filipino soldiers were killed and scores of others injured in Monday's clashes with Abu Sayyaf rebels in Sulu.

Reports said JI militants Umar Patek and Dulmatin, believed to be responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings, were hiding with Abu Sayyaf top leader Khaddafy Janjalani in the jungles of Sulu.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Tuesday praised the military for their operation in Sulu against Abu Sayyaf while calling on all Filipinos to support the military action.

"All Filipinos have a stake in defeating terrorism anywhere in the world," she said Tuesday during a roundtable discussion in Malacanang presidential palace.

"The nation must be one with AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) in this fight," she continued. "The enemy will try to divert our vigilance but we must stand fast and take this fight to their lairs and sanctuaries. They shall not be allowed to establish foothold from which to launch deadly attacks against people."

"Terrorist leaders and their cohorts are falling one by one and we're on the verge of permanently wiping out the notorious Abu Sayyaf group," she added.

Arroyo also lauded the army and police for intercepting some 450 kilograms of ammonium nitrate from a ferry docked at the port of Zamboanga City, southern Philippines, on Monday.

Local media reports said the United States military has agreed to beef up support to Filipino troops in their offensive against Abu Sayyaf.

Philippine Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said U.S. Pacific Command chief of staff Rear Admiral William Van Meter Alford made the commitment when he met with Arroyo in Hawaii last week, according to the reports.

So far the U.S. military, which has several dozen personnel permanently based in southern Philippines, is only providing intelligence back-up to Filipino troops fighting Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, and is not directly involved in the fighting, said the military.

Arroyo also asked the public to be on guard against possible terrorist plots following the discovery of the explosives.

On Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard and police seized nine sacks of ammonium nitrate on board a ferry.

Ammonium nitrate is a highly volatile chemical compound largely used in making fertilizer and is the main ingredient used by the Abu Sayyaf to produce powerful bombs, according to the military.

Source: Xinhua