Soldiers seize bombs from BIFF lair in Maguindanao

BOMB-MAKING SAFE HOUSE. Army troops captured a BIFF safe house amid the marsh in Maguindanao on Sunday where improvised bombs are made. (Army photos)

CAMPS SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Army soldiers seized 16 improvised bombs on Sunday from a lair of the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao.

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Glenn Manansala, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion, said the soldiers acted on a tip from civilians about a house amid the marshland frequented by armed men.

No one was in the BIFF safe house in Barangay Pandi of Datu Salibo town when the troops captured it.

Manansala said the soldiers waded through the marsh in the dark to reach the BIFF lair.

Soldiers hauled 16 improvised bombs, three rocket-propelled grenades, a kilo of black powder, 36 improvised blasting caps, various ammunition, and personal items.

Colonel Oriel Pangcog, commander of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, lauded the civilians who tipped off the soldiers about the BIFF lair.

Major General Roy Galido, 6th Infantry Division commander, said the recovery of the improvised bombs frustrated the launch of strikes against planned targets of the terrorists.

BOMB-MAKING materials seized by Army troops in a BIFF safe house amid the marsh in Maguindanao on Sunday. (Army photo)

Two days earlier, on Friday, seven BIFF members surrendered to the 6th IB in Datu Piang, Maguindanao.

They turned in an M16 rifle, an M14 rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade, two homemade .30 sniper rifle, one .30 Garand rifle, and an M635 rifle.

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