Military on heightened alert in Maguindanao after BIFF attacks

COTABATO CITY — The military has heightened its security posture in Maguindanao province following two attacks allegedly perpetrated by Islamic State-linked militants.

Lt. Colonel Anhouvic Atilano, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said their commander, Major Gen. Diosdado Carreon, has placed all Army units in Maguindanao on heightened alert, ordering the deployment of more soldiers on the national highway.

Atilano said Carreon’s order came as the province experienced a string of attacks in the past several days.

Atilano blamed these on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) which, although split in several factions, are one in their allegiance to the international terrorist group Islamic State.

On Friday, July 3, soldiers and policemen foiled the transport of an improvised bomb laid on a motorcycle in Datu Saudi Ampatuan. It was intercepted in a checkpoint.

The bomb was designed to have a mobile phone as detonating device.

On Thursday night, a militiaman was killed and another was injured in a grenade attack at a quarantine control checkpoint in Barangay Labu-Labu of Shariff Aguak town.

The checkpoint was jointly manned by police and Army personnel.

Earlier on Thursday, a rifle-propelled grenade was fired onto a passenger bus as it was passing by Barangay Iganagampong of Datu Unsay town, injuring a soldier.

The military said these attacks could be in retaliation to the recent offensives by government forces in the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Mamasapano, and Rajah Buayan that killed at least six bandits.

JE