Nothing short of cowardice

Here we go again. A passenger bus in Bukidnon was bombed last Tuesday, killing eleven people and injuring forty-two others. Everyone is now speculating as to who was behind this cowardly deed. If you ask the military, they are convinced it was the work of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters based on the type of bomb used. Fragments of a mortar and cellphone suggest an Improvised Explosive Device or IED. The terrorists do have access to mortar shells and have the technology to detonate them via cellphone.

But if you ask the local government of Bukidnon, they believe that this was the work of extortionists. The same bus company was also bombed last November. Four persons were injured in the blast. The company is the only one plying the route, so they could be the object of extortionists. As to who the extortionists are, they would not say. But if you ask the military, it is still the BIFF who are not above doing things like that.

A spokesperson for the BIFF denied they were behind the blast, saying that it does not serve them any purpose in harming civilians. I find that statement ludicrous. If you will recall when the BIFF was newly formed after breaking away from the MILF, they attacked civilian villages in an effort to make a statement that they will continue whatever it is they are fighting for. Terrorizing and harming civilians is what the BIFF is all about.

Whatever this is, extortion or terrorism, this cannot go unpunished. Whoever is behind this must pay dearly for their crime. Targeting innocent civilians is nothing short of cowardice. As for the BIFF, why they are still active and operational is really disturbing. The military has said that they number in the mere hundreds. So why can't the military deal with them once and for all? While the government and the MILF have been working very hard to attain a lasting peace, they have shunned it and continue to be an enemy of the Republic. They resort to terrorist and criminal activities. They are aligned with the Abu Sayyaf and most likely, ISIS, which make them even more dangerous.

As long as these groups continue their nefarious ways, the region will not attain the peace and prosperity it has longed for so long. Perhaps the MILF can help neutralize, if not eradicate these groups. Surely they know their leaders, their methods. A combined effort from the newly formed alliance will surely nullify the existence of the BIFF and the ASG. Their ranks, and support must not be allowed to grow. The people of Mindanao deserve lasting peace and prosperity. Something the BIFF and ASG only violently hinder.