Armed men attack Maguindanao village to avenge boy's death

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 3): Armed men attack Maguindanao village to avenge boy's death

Armed men believed to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday fired anti-tank rockets and assault rifles in a remote village in Maguindanao where the suspects in the killing of a 15-year-old boy Monday reside, the military here said Wednesday.

Citing intelligence reports, Colonel Dickson Hermoso, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said gunmen believed to be relatives of the slain high school student harassed the village of Dalimbong in Datu Saidona town in Maguindanao in an apparent attempt to retaliate.

The attack caused panic and triggered evacuation of several families Tuesday night for fear the conflict may erupt into a full blown war. They returned home Wednesday morning.

Police said the high school student was walking home Monday afternoon with his classmates when two men riding tandem on a motorbike blocked their path and opened fire on him causing his instant death. His two companions were also injured.

Hermoso, quoting reports from Army units based in Datu Saidona, said two rebel commanders related to the slain student, Commanders Emram and Rasul, both of the 118th Base Command of the MILF, led the attack after confirming that the two suspects reside in Barangay Dalimbong.

He said relatives of the suspects engaged the groups of Emran and Rasul in a 30-minute firefight. No casualty was reported on both sides.

Hermoso said elements of the First Mechanized Infantry Brigade have been deployed in Datu Saidona town to serve as peacekeepers.

The Maguindanao police office also sent peacekeepers to the beleaguered village to ensure the safety of civilians.

Datu Saidona is about 10 kilometers from the national highway linking Gen. Santos City and Cotabato City.

The firefight in Barangay Dalimbong came hours after government forces engaged a group of radical Moro rebel group in a clash in Barangay Kabingi, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, also in Maguindanao.

Hermoso said the two incidents were not related as the latter was a punitive action against elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who have been mulcting farmers of their agricultural harvests.

Residents of the village of Kabingi had been complaining of harassment and extortion by BIFF members every harvest season.

About 50 BIFF members were subjected to mortar shelling and armored personnel attacks by the Army to drive them away from civilian centers in Datu Saudi town.

No casualty was reported in the second incident.

The BIFF is composed of about 1,000 men who formerly belonged to the mainstream Moro rebel movement – the MILF.

Led by foreign trained Islamic preacher Ustadz Ameril Umra Kato, the group broke away from MILF due to ideological differences after the MILF opted for a political settlement that will provide them with autonomous government in southern Philippines.

Hermoso said the BIFF is considered outlaw by the government and is the subject of punitive action by both police and military forces in Maguindanao.

Datu Saidona is a 4th class municipality in Maguindanao, with a population of about 23,000 people as of 2010 census.

Its mayor is Bai Rebecca Ampatuan, son of former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and one of the primary suspects in the infamous Maguindanao massacre.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=540500