‘Indonesian bomber,’ BIFF commander escape Army air strikes

AP FILE PHOTO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – An Indonesian bomber and his Filipino companion, a leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), managed to escape the military’s air strikes in Maguindanao on Monday.

Capt. Ervin Encinas, spokesperson of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that their air strikes were carried out to take down two targets – Commander Bungos of the BIFF and Indonesian bomber Abu Torayte, also known as Mohammad Ali.

Encinas said their operation was concentrated in the villages of Andavit and Tee in Datu Salibo town but the strikes did not result in the capture of Bungos and Torayte, nor in their deaths or wounding.

“We got no concrete reports from the field if they were killed or wounded. But some residents told our men they had seen some dead on the side of the rebels,” Encinas said.

Ali, who has been working as a bomb maker of the BIFF, carries a $500,000 reward on his head.

The military earlier claimed four Indonesians and an Arab, identified as a chemist, have been hiding in the so-called SPMS complex also known as the towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (now Datu Saudi Ampatuan), Mamasapano and Datu Salibo.

More than 300 families were displaced in the latest military operation.  SFM