AS RAMADAN ENDS | Military in Central Mindanao braces for more BIFF attacks

From InterAksyon (Aug 8): AS RAMADAN ENDS | Military in Central Mindanao braces for more BIFF attacks

The military in Central Mindanao is bracing for more attacks including terrorist bombings from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as Islam believers are set to conclude their month-long Ramadan fasting through Eid’l Fitr.

“As usual, we’re on our toes,” Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, replied to a text message asking the alert status the military division was implementing amid a series of bombings in its area of operational control.

Since the deadly blast on July 26 in Cagayan de Oro City that killed eight people and injured almost four dozen others, Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said the police has placed the entire Mindanao on heightened alert, which in the military means a red alert.

But on Monday, a powerful car bomb exploded on Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City, Maguindanao. It killed six persons on the spot, two others died while undergoing medical treatment at the hospital, and at least 30 other civilians were injured.

At 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in front of the Lhuillier pawnshop in Midsayap, North Cotabato. This was followed by an IED ambush of BIFF elements in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao; this time seven soldiers were injured.

The BIFF detonated the third IED explosion that hit but failed to topple a bridge in Barangay Lintokan, Datu Piang, also in Maguindanao.

Hermoso said the 5:30 p.m. explosion was the third attempt of the BIFF to destroy the bridge linking Maguindanao with other adjacent provinces. Military and police bomb experts said the IED used was made of 60mm mortar and a mobile phone was used as trigger mechanism.

“Nagpapansin lang ang BIFF sa pamamagitan ng paghahasik ng mga karahasan lalo na at magtatapos na ang Ramadan at Eid’l Fitr na (The BIFF is really trying to draw attention with the violent incidents especially with the end of Ramadan and Eid’l Fitr,” Hermoso said in a separate radio interview.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila Police Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. advised the public not to panic in case pranksters spread bomb threat.

On Wednesday, pranksters were able to cause the evacuation from the buildings of the Department of Justice and Court of Appeals.

Garbo said the public may immediately report such incidents through SMS at 0915-888-8181 and 0999-901-8181, Twitter at @NCRPOReact, and Facebook at NCRPOReact.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/68187/as-ramadan-ends--military-in-central-mindanao-braces-for-more-biff-attacks