BIFF ‘bomb courier’ killed in Maguindanao del Sur

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A suspected bomb courier of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was killed in an alleged shootout with soldiers and policemen in Maguindanao del Sur on Thursday.

Bansir Samaon opened fire at law enforcers serving an arrest warrant in Barangay Madia in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Lt. Col. Michael Glenn Manansala, 6th Infantry Battalion commander, said.

“The soldiers and policemen involved in the operation were forced to neutralize him,” Manansala said.

Samaon was a courier of improvised explosive devices of a BIFF faction led by Kagui Karialan, according to villagers and the relatives of the fatality.