Gov’t troops pursue MILF renegades in Maguindanao

AFP FILE PHOTO

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Government forces on Saturday launched a major assault to flush out members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.

Major General Romeo Gapuz, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said recent “atrocities and threats” perpetrated by the rebel group prompted the military, the Philippine National Police and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to conduct law-enforcement operations.

Gapuz said the BIFF, a faction that broke away from the MILF, is “hell-bent to derail the peace process” between the MILF and the government.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, the division’s spokesman,  said a first encounter between soldiers from the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion and BIFF rebels took place in Barangay Damablas, Datu Piang at around 10:40 a.m. Saturday. It was followed by a clash between the rebel group and soldiers from  the 45th Infantry Brigade in Barangay Dasawao, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town 20 minutes later.

Another encounter took place 10 minutes later in Barangay Paidu Polangi in Pikit, North Cotabato.

BIFF members harassed the soldiers in Pikit to divert the attention of the military, Hermoso said.

There are no confirmed casualties but the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces said the BIFF suffered casualties in Datu Piang.

Last June 19, the BIFF harassed a military detachment in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, killing a militiaman and a farmer. On the same day, the rebel group used sniper rifles and rocket propelled grenades to attack a patrol base of the 33rd Infantry Battalion.

Last June 21,  eight BIFF members were captured by government forces in Barangay Kulasi, Bagumbayan town.  Five were turned over to the President Quirino municipal police station and charged with illegal possession of explosives while three BIFF members, who were found to be minors, were turned-over to Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Gapuz said the government forces were in control of the situation. “We are ready and committed along with our counterparts from the MILF to defend our communities from BIFF abuses and the massive displacements and lost livelihoods they cause which are clear violations of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and to preserve and guard the primacy of the peace process in Mindanao,” Gapuz said.

Von Al-Haq, spokesman of the MILF’s BIAF, said the military was closely coordinating with the leadership of the MILF.

“Our forces were already repositioned to avoid any misencounters,” Al-Haq said.

Led by former 105th Base commander Ameril Umra Kato, the BIFF broke away from the MILF after serious disagreements over the conduct of the peace talks.