Howitzer strikes launched vs BIFF

COTABATO CITY—The military on Monday launched artillery attacks against members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) believed to be behind attacks on two Army detachments in the borders of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat that left one soldier dead and three others wounded, the Army said.

Lt. Col. Markton Abu, commanding officer of 33rd Infantry Battalion, said his men were conducting clearing operations in the marshy portion of General Salipada K. Pendatun town in Maguindanao, where the BIFF keeps a camp.

Abu said the military offensive was an offshoot of the attacks on Saturday by BIFF forces on two Army detachments in Barangay (village) Katiku, President Quirino town in Sultan Kudarat.

“We have reliable information the BIFF is threatening the civilians because it is harvest time,” Abu told reporters.

He said there is “persistent information” that the BIFF guerrillas, who broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) following disagreement over a peace deal between MILF and the government, would “anytime attack the civilian farmers as harvest time is coming.”

“They used to steal the harvest from unarmed farmers and we are securing the civilians,” said Abu.

At least 50 BIFF members attacked Army detachments in Barangay Kulasi in General SK Pendatun town in Maguindanao, and another in Barangay Katiku, President Quirino town, Sultan Kudarat province, killing one soldier and wounding three others.

Abu Misry Mama, speaking for the BIFF, admitted his men attacked the two Army detachments on Saturday.

On Monday, Mama said dozens of howitzer shells hit the marshland but there were no casualties on the BIFF side.

“It rained bombs here,” said Mama. “We are on the defensive,” he said. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao