COTABATO CITY—Military officials announced the capture of a top-ranking leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the death of his son during a raid in the city on Tuesday.
The arrest of Hasan Indal by government forces in Barangay Kalanganan was confirmed by Abu Misri Mama, spokesperson of the BIFF which split from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2008 to continue a secessionist cause.
Another BIFF leader was killed earlier in a clash with soldiers in Maguindanao province.
Col. Ranny Sevilla, commander of the Army’s 5th Special Forces Battalion, said
Indal, the BIFF’s vice chair for internal affairs, was taken at 11:40 p.m. from a house, where he had been hiding. He did not resist arrest but his son, identified as Ali Indal, fought back and was killed, Sevilla said.
The raiders team recovered a Baby Armalite rifle, a .45 cal. pistol and a fragmentation grenade, he said.
Indal was arrested in connection with a case of murder and frustrated murder filed at the Regional Trial Court’s Branch 18 in North Cotabato in 2012. Sevilla said Judge George Jabido issued the arrest warrant but did not provide details of the case.
“A concerned resident provided us the information. We conducted surveillance before we carried out the raid last night,” Sevilla said.
Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the Maguindanao-based 6th Infantry Division, said Indal and his son had been hiding in the safe house due to intense military operations against the BIFF in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao province, since Friday.
On Tuesday, at least four rebels were killed and seven others were hurt in the fighting. Among the fatalities was BIFF commander Mamadra Guino, also known as Abu Sufian, Col. Felicisimo Budiongan, commander of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade, told the Inquirer.
Budiongan said Guino died when his group clashed with soldiers around 10 a.m. in the village of Sambulawan in Datu Salibo. Mama also confirmed Guino’s death.
At least three soldiers have been wounded, while more than 10,000 residents evacuated to safe grounds since the clashes began.
Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, told reporters that Indal’s arrest was an accomplishment not only of the security forces but of the entire community, accusing the rebel of being behind the planting of improvised bombs in public places.
Mama said the BIFF would not be affected by the setbacks and vowed that his group would continue to launch attacks against the military. Jeoffrey Maitem and Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao