2 suspected BIFF members nabbed in Sultan Kudarat town

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 17): 2 suspected BIFF members nabbed in Sultan Kudarat town

Two suspected members of an armed lawless group operating in Sultan Kudarat province were arrested on Friday after police raided their homes and confiscated a cache of firearms. Chief Supt. Alex Paul Monteagudo, regional police director in Soccsksargen (Region 12), identified the suspects as Samson Kauten and Bulayat Gani Mamaluba, both residents of Purok Bougainvilla, Barangay Pimbalayan in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat. They were suspected members of the notorious Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Their arrest came a day after a grenade went off along the highway in Tacurong City, also in Sultan Kudarat, which led to the arrest of the suspected bomber identified as Abdul Usman, also known as ‘Obing’, 37, of Barangay Kudal in Pagalungan, Maguindanao. Usman, during the investigation, named a certain Gani who allegedly gave him orders to bomb Tacurong City. The order to search the residential areas of Kauten and Mamaluba were issued on Friday by Judge Ramos of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), which covers the towns of Lutayan, Lambayong, President Quirino, and Columbio; all in Sultan Kudarat. During the raid, Monteagudo said operatives confiscated an M16; two caliber .45 pistols; Uzi-type homemade sub-machine gun; caliber 5.56 pistol; M-1 Garand rifle; a 9-mm pistol and various types of ammunition. They also recovered 22 spent shells from several guns. The raiding team was composed of operatives from RSIDT-12, Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office, Lambayong municipal police, RPSB First Company and the 41st Special Action Forces. Monteagudo said the suspects were brought to the Lambayong municipal police station where they would be charged in violation of Presidential Decree 1866 or the Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition.

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