Soldiers repulse new attack by BIFF men

MANILA, Philippines - Clashes between the military and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) erupted anew on Saturday night after the rebels blocked the highway with a barricade that included a vehicle planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Guindulungan, Maguindanao.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th division, said no one was reported injured from both sides after soldiers attacked the rebels at around 8 p.m. The rebels later abandoned their barricade along the Cotabato-General Santos City Highway.

Soldiers also deactivated yesterday morning the five IEDs placed inside a multicab vehicle that the rebels commandeered.

The highway was reopened at around 10 a.m.

Hermoso said security forces have foiled the rebel attempt to detonate the bombs.

He said military intelligence agents and police investigators are still trying to locate the whereabouts of the driver and passengers of the vehicle that the rebels seized. The vehicle reportedly came from General Santos City.

“Fortunately, some civilians provided tips about their (BIFF) plans so the troops were able to respond,” Hermoso said, adding that vehicles rarely pass through the highway at night.

Villagers have confirmed seeing the fleeing bandits carry four wounded companions.

Responding soldiers also captured three BIFF bandits identified as James Abdul and siblings Saddam and Salahudin who yielded an M-16 rifle and live B-40 anti-tank rockets.

Hermoso said the three suspects were turned over to the Maguindanao provincial police office, which will file charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against the suspects.

He said the military expects the BIFF to conduct more atrocities and the Army had secured military detachments and the highway.

The Municipal Peace and Order Council led by local executives has directed the soldiers to secure the area.

The incident happened hours after about 20 suspected BIFF members ambushed a military truck carrying troops of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion in Barangay Kateman in Guindulungan.

A clash then ensued, resulting in the death of five suspected BIFF rebels and two soldiers. The incident also left four soldiers wounded.

Soldiers have conducted law enforcement operations early this month after the BIFF mounted a series of atrocities to disrupt the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The BIFF, a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, was formed by former rebel commander Ameril Umbra Kato in 2011.

The BIFF has vowed to sabotage the peace process and to continue fighting for Bangsamoro independence.

The military said the BIFF atrocities include the attack on a community in Barangay Bagumbayan in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat last June 19 that left two people dead and the harassment of a 33rd battalion patrol base in the same community.

The military, however, called off the military operations last July 6 in deference to the holy month of Ramadan. The military said about 80 BIFF members and six soldiers were killed in the recent clashes.

Soldiers have seized the BIFF strongholds in Barangay Ganta in Shariff Saydona and Barangay Damalabas in Datu Piang, both in Maguindanao.  – With John Unson