The military on Monday night arrested eight persons believed to be members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who figured in a clash with government forces in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat province, police said Tuesday.
The suspects were turned over by the Army to President Quirino Philippine National Police for filing of appropriate charges.
Acting police provincial director Supt. Jomar Yap of Sultan Kudarat said soldiers belonging to the 33rd Infantry Battalion arrested the suspects following the harassment by suspected BIFF in Barangay Bagumbayan that left two persons killed over the weekend - a militiaman and a farmer.
The arresting soldiers said they recovered several materials in making improvised explosive devices.
However, the arrested persons denied they belonged to BIFF or any armed group. Some say they were forced to admit they were BIFF members.
In a statement, the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (MinHRAC) vowed to provide legal assistance to the suspects, all under police custody.
On Saturday and Sunday, government forces clashed with BIFF members, led by Ustadz Sukarno, alleged right hand man of BIFF founder Ustadz Ameril Umra Kato.
The group, according to 601st Brigade chief Colonel Edmund Pangilinan, attacked the
Pursuing government forces figured in a running gunbattle with the armed men until they fled toward Barangay Kulasi, Gen.SK Pendatun town in Maguindanao.
An ensuing military operations led to the capture of a BIFF camp which houses about 200 armed men.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=537838
Innocent civilians or BIFF rebels. See the following Mindanao Examiner article posted above for a conflicting version of events ("Philippine troops arrest war refugees on suspicion they were rebels").
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