THE Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday that the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and foreign terrorists in Mindanao, the breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, are the military’s next target after the death of top bomb maker Basit Usman.
“With the synergy with Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, it is not farfetched na yung top leaders ng BIFF as well as foreign terrorists in Central Mindanao will fall one by one to our hands or suffer the same fate as Basit Usman,” Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Joselito Kakilala said on Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo.
Usman and five bodyguards were killed on Sunday reportedly in a shootout in Guindulungan, Maguindanao.
He escaped the botched Mamasapano raid last January, which killed top terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan. It also killed 44 police officers, 18 MILF members and three civilians.
The military launched all out operations against the BIFF in Maguindanao last February weeks after the Mamasapano raid, and claimed that government forces have decimated more than half of the 300-strong BIFF after about a month of offensives.
Top terrorists believed to be in the Philippines include Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco alias Jihad and Singaporean Abdullah Ali alias Muawiyah.
It is still unclear who killed Usman, however. AFP chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. has ordered an investigation on the matter.
“The chief of staff has directed the commander of Army’s 6th Infantry Division to conduct thorough investigation as to the circumstances on the death of Usman,” Kakilala said.
There are two versions on Usman’s death: The military claims that Usman was killed in a shootout with fellow BIFF members. The MILF’s version was that Usman was killed by members of the MILF’s 118th Base Command.
“Whoever killed him. We welcome. In fact, we urge them doing the same,” Kakilala said…We welcome all those information. But the most important thing is the renowned terrorist Basit Usman is [dead]. We are sure he is dead,” Kakilala said.
Usman has a bounty of P6.3 million from the AFP, while $1 million from the US State Department.
The claimant would have to go through a screening and validation process.
“To verify truthfulness, sya ba nakapatay? Namatay ba ang terorista? Dadaan sya sa local level ng committee na yun. Ipapadala ang recommendation sa national level for further review and validation,” Kakilala said.
BIFF: Usman killed in MILF camp
Meanwhile, the BIFF confirmed on Tuesday the death of Usman, adding that he was killed at the MILF camp.
Contrary to the initial report from the military, BIFF spokesperson Abu Misri Mama told Radyo Inquirer that the bomb maker died in Barangay (village) Munti, Guindulungan, Maguindano province.
“Basic Usman is an enemy of the state, and he has a large sum of money on his head. That’s probably why many got interested in capturing him,” he said.
“He was killed in the MILF camp in Barangay Munti.” AC