Army rushes to find bombs planted by BIFF in Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Authorities are scrambling to locate dozens of powerful booby traps scattered by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in farmlands at the tri-boundary of Maguindanao’s adjoining Datu Piang, Datu Salibo and Datu Saudi towns.

Local officials said the explosives, some fashioned from live mortar rounds and shoulder-fire grenades rigged with “victim-activated” blasting contraptions, are meant to forestall pursuit by soldiers when BIFF forces perpetrate guerilla attacks anywhere in the three towns.

"The problem is these can also kill or maim civilians because these improvised bombs can explode when accidentally activated upon contact," lamented a senior member of the municipal peace and order council in Datu Salibo.

Ordnance operatives of different Army units under the Army’s 6th Infantry Division deactivated in the past ten days dozens of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along farm trails in Datu Salibo, where BIFF gunmen and soldiers have been trading shots in one encounter after another since January.

Captain Jo-ann Petinglay, spokesperson of 6th ID, said their main concern now is how to locate the other IEDs scattered by bandits.

“Deactivating them is easier than locating the spots where they were planted,” Petinglay said.

The BIFF is known for its total disregard of the safety of non-combatants, motorists and commuters when perpetrating guerilla attacks on villages and communities along national highways.

The group is also notorious for using captives as “human shields” when cornered by pursuing soldiers.