Soldier hurt as roadside bomb explodes in Maguindanao

Members of the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

COTABATO CITY – A soldier was wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao on Tuesday morning.

A team of soldiers from the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade was conducting road security along the Datu Saudi Ampatuan to Datu Piang highway when the explosive, believed to be fashioned from a 60 mm mortar with mobile phone as triggering device, went off at 9:30 a.m. in Barangay Lower Salbu.

Colonel Felicisimo Budiongan, commander of the 1st Mechanized brigade, blamed the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) for the attack.

He said the attack had the “signature” of BIFF.

Initial investigation showed that the IED was similar to explosives used by the BIFF in skirmishes involving them and the government forces.

Budiongan told reporters that soldiers were manning checkpoints along the highway following the declaration of state of lawlessness by President Duterte after the Davao City bombing.

But Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the BIFF, denied any hand in the blast, saying “that is not our style.”

He said the BIFF has been silent the past month because it has been consolidating its forces and focusing on educating its members.

Earlier, Mama condemned the Davao City bombing and blamed the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group for the attack to divert attention of government offensives against them in Sulu. SFM/rga