Military asked to suspend drive vs BIFF to allow students to graduate

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – Education and local officials have asked the military to suspend for three days the ongoing offensive against lawless elements to allow about 13,000 students from Maguindanao’s 13 municipalities to graduate.

Meriam Kawit, Maguindanao education superintendent, and Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu made the request Thursday during a meeting of the peace and order council held at the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division here.

Kawit and Mangudadatu said the ongoing military operation against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has to be suspended from March 25 to 28.

“What we planned was to conduct clustered or centralized graduation rites for 142 elementary and high schools from March 25 to 28,” Kawit told reporters, adding that graduation platforms were now being constructed on school grounds.

“That is our concern right now, the needs of evacuees have been addressed, health and sanitation is also our priority,” Mangudadatu said.

Mangudadatu said another way to shorten the duration of the offensive, which started Feb. 25, was for mayors to help the Army and “use assets to determine if the BIFF still exists in their respective towns.”

In response to the request, Brig. Gen. Manolito Orense, 6th ID assistant division commander, said the military was conducting assessment and evaluation to determine which areas can be declared “cleared” of BIFF.

Capt. Joann Petinglay, 6th ID spokesperson, said no skirmishes had been reported in the past three days.