2 cops hurt in blast, gunfight with suspected BIFF men

COTABATO CITY – Two police officers were injured when suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) gunmen detonated an improvised explosive device in Guindulungan, Maguindanao on Friday evening, the military reported Saturday.

Capt Jo-ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division based in the province, identified the injured policemen as PO2 Abdulrahman Lampak and PO3 Modarie Salibo–both members of the Guindulungan police force.

Petinglay said the two policemen sustained shrapnel injuries.

They were on board a police car with five others when a roadside bomb went off at 9 p.m. in Barangay Sawmill, he said.

Shortly after the explosion, the policemen were also fired upon by the suspects.

Petinglay said the exchange of gunfire between the policemen and the gunmen lasted for about 40 minutes until the attackers fled.

Army bomb experts recovered fragments of rifle-grenade, cut nails and a mobile phone – which was used as trigger mechanism–from the blast site, according to Lt. Col. Warlito Limet, the commander of the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Brigade.

Limet said the make of the bomb points to the BIFF as the suspect in the attack. CDG

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