Gov’t troops brace for BIFF retaliation

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – The military is anticipating retaliation from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) for the death of a close aide of its founder in encounters at the border of Datu Piang and Shariff Saidona towns Monday.

The slain bandit, who carried the alias “City Hunter,” was one of 17 BIFF men slain as they tried to drive away Army soldiers from their former enclave in Barangay Ganta, Shariff Saidona. Government forces overran the camp last January.

Local officials said City Hunter, a Maguindanaon, was the “right-hand man” of the BIFF leader Ameril Ombra Kato.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said they are checking reports by villagers that 12 other bandits were wounded but died while being brought to different areas near the Liguasan Delta.

A soldier was also reportedly killed in the hostilities.

The bandits attacked on Monday night a militia detachment in Barangay Baliki in Midsayap, North Cotabato, triggering a two-hour firefight with members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit, village watchmen, and armed peasants. No one was reported killed or injured but the incident forced residents villagers to flee their homes.

Meanwhile, three of the 10 civilians wounded in the crossfire between government troops and the BIFF have been brought to a hospital in Cotabato City while the rest have refused to be transferred for fear of being tagged by the military as among the bandits. – With Alexis Romero