Army foils BIFF attack in another Maguindanao town

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Soldiers and paramilitary forces repulsed an attack by the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on an Army base in Shariff Aguak town, Maguindanao province, on Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Anhouvic Atilano, spokesperson of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), said an undetermined number of BIFF members fired rifle grenades at an Army checkpoint in Barangay Labu-labu at past 10 p.m., leading to the 20-minute fierce clash with government troops that caused panic among local residents.

The Army unleashed a series of artillery fires at the BIFF positions to prevent the rebels from advancing.

The military detachment in Labu-labu is within the so-called SPMS box, or the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan (Pagatin), Mamasapano, and Shariff Saydona Mustapha, where BIFF support and forces are concentrated.

Retaliation

Atilano said that early on Wednesday night, the Army learned about BIFF rebels massing and heading toward the military detachment. Soldiers belonging to the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion were sent in armored personnel carriers to check on the information.

He said the attack could be in retaliation to the Army offensives around their strongholds in the Liguasan marsh area to pursue BIFF rebels who stormed nearby Datu Piang town on Dec. 3.

Some 50 rebels were involved in the Datu Piang attack, firing their assault weapons indiscriminately and burning a police car.

Atilano said the latest incident was another attempt by the BIFF to project its image as still a force to reckon with.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, 6th ID commander, ordered the deployment of more soldiers and armored personnel carriers in the SPMS area. — REPORTS FROM EDWIN O. FERNANDEZ AND JEOFFREY MAITEM INQ