4 soldiers wounded in Maguindanao Sur grenade attack
COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — Four soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion were wounded in a grenade attack at a military detachment in Barangay Madia of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town of Maguindanao del Sur at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, authorities said.
Lt. Col. Roden Orbon, 6th ID spokesperson, said the attack could have been perpetrated by a militant group whose members had earlier surrendered to the government.
“The grenade-throwing incident was a possible retaliation of the local terrorist group because recently, many of their members have returned to the folds of the law,” Orbon said.
READ: Elite cops deployed in troubled Maguindanao del Sur as election nears
He was referring to at least 16 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a militant Islamist organization, who surrendered to the 6th IB in Datu Piang town on March 14. The group had been operating in the towns of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Salibo, and Datu Saudi Ampatuan.
Three days earlier, or on March 11, five members of the group also surrendered to the Army’s 90th IB in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
High risk
Orbon said the military also had a continuing law enforcement support operations in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town against the group and that the detachment in the village of Madia was considered high-risk for attacks because of its strategic location within the “SPMS” box.
The SPMX box refers to the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi Ampatuan), Mamasapano, and Shariff Saydona Mustapha in the province, where the BIFF operates.
Orbon said the perpetrators of the attack escaped to the Liguashan Marsh, which directly connects to the SPMS box.
He said he was thankful that no civilian was affected by the incident.
The wounded soldiers, whose names were withheld for security reasons, were confined in an undisclosed hospital.
6th ID officials condemned the attack, which occurred during Ramadan, a holy fasting month for Muslims.
“We are committed to protecting our communities in Maguindanao del Sur, and we ensure that peace and order be maintained, especially in the holy month, when Muslims observe their religious obligations,” said Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, the commander for the 6th ID and the Joint Task Force Central. —Drema Quitayen Bravo
