5 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters men arrested in Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Five members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were arrested in Datu Paglat town in Maguindanao on Friday.

The bandits, who have yet to be identified, are said to be followers of Sindatok Dilna alias Motolite, an associate of BIFF commander Gani Saligan whose group has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

They were cornered at their hideout in Barangay Tual by personnel of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB) and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police at around 5:30 a.m.

“The suspects did not resist arrest upon seeing that they were overwhelmed by security forces,” Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc of the 33rd IB said.

Cabunoc said an M16 rifle and two caliber .45 pistols were recovered from the bandits.

At least 12 BIFF men were killed and two of their camps were seized in military operations in Maguindanao earlier this week.

Cabunoc said the hinterlands of Maguindanao have become hiding places of terrorists and political armed groups. – Jaime Laude