Mohammad Tambako PHOTO BY NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
COTABATO CITY, Philippines—The military here said the arrest of Mohammad Tambako has weakened the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
“The group has been weakened, even disabled, with the arrest of Tambako because he was the one sourcing funds for the group’s terror activities,” Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, speaking for the Task Force Central (TFC), a military-led group tasked to neutralize the BIFF.
Petinglay said Tambako, who leads his own group—the United Justice for Islamic Movement—has been providing haven for suspected international terrorists in Maguindanao.
The BIFF earlier said Tambako was expelled from the group following the beheading of a farmer in North Cotabato in 2013.
But Petinglay, who is also 6th ID spokesperson, said Tambako still has a clout in the BIFF “because Ameril Umbra Kato is seriously ill.”
Kato is the founder of the BIFF, which broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front due to disagreements in the conduct of peace negotiations with the government.
“Tambako was ousted from the BIFF in 2013. However, last year he was monitored to be with the BIFF again, especially in Barangay Dasikil, Mamasapano,” Petinglay said.
The BIFF maintains a major camp in Barangay Dasikil, Mamasapano, which the Army captured and seized bomb making materials early March.
“The BIFF is now weak, (but) we are not wrapping up our operations yet until such time that we can say all the people can go back to their residences,” said Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief and commander of Task Force Central.
“No specific timetable yet,” Pangilinan told a news conference when asked when the law enforcement will be terminated. He made the remarks before Tambako was arrested in General Santos City on Saturday.
Citing intelligence information, Petinglay said Tambako and his men left Maguindanao probably on the second week of the three-week-old massive law enforcement operations in what the Army termed as “SPMS box.”
“SPMS box” refers to the four adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi), Mamasapano and Shariff Saydona, all in the second district of Maguidnanao.
Even with Tambako in the hands of the government, TFC will continue to hunt down Amin Baco, another trusted man of Tambako and Filipino bomb expert Basit Usman, and the remnants of BIFF still in Maguindanao.
Tambako and his about 100 armed followers were believed to be among the armed men who clashed with Police Special Action Force on January 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The police commando succeeded in neutralizing suspected Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, but lost 44 policemen.
At least 18 rebels and five civilians were also killed in the Mamasapano fighting.
Meanwhile, Petinglay said they were investigating reports that some of the BIFF members were hiding in evacuation camps. She also called on the rebels to surrender to end the suffering of the more than 120,000 residents who are staying in various evacuation centers.
“If they love their families and relatives, they should surrender now. They can send their fillers to our men on the ground and we will respect their rights,” Petinglay said.
But Abu Misri Mama, spokesperson of the BIFF, turned down the military’s appeal.
“It not in the vocabulary of a real mujahedeen fighters to surrender to their enemies,” Mama said.
“With the help of Allah, we will continue the fight,” he added. Edwin Fernandez and Jeoffrey Maitem, Inquirer Mindanao
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