At least 3 dead, 5 wounded as govt troops, BIFF clash in North Cotabato

From InterAksyon (Sep 23): At least 3 dead, 5 wounded as govt troops, BIFF clash in North Cotabato



At least one soldier and two rebels were killed as government forces battled the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in three villages of Midsayap town, North Cotabato on Monday, the military said.

Five other combatants were also wounded.

Hundreds of residents have also fled the fighting that broke out almost simultaneously around 7 a.m. in Barangays Bual Norte, Malingaw and Palunoguen.

Before this, BIFF fighters tried to enter Barangay Rangaban around 2:20 a.m. but were repulsed by members of the Civilian Volunteer Organization in the village.

The military also claimed that at least three of about 15 schoolteachers who were earlier reported trapped with an undetermined number of students at the Malingaw Central School when the clashes erupted had been taken hostage by retreating rebels.

BIFF spokesman Abu Misrie Mama confirmed that their forces attacked the three villages even as he stressed this had nothing to do with the continued standoff in Zamboanga City between security forces and the Moro National Liberation Front, which entered its 15th day Monday.

Capt. Tony Bulao, spokesman of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, said the BIFF gunmen barged into the school around 8:30 a.m. and seized some of the teachers and students, using them as “human shields” against pursuing soldiers and policemen but later releasing most of them.

However, Bulao said a cornered group of gunmen were still holding on to the three teachers and North Cotabato Provincial Board member Kiely Antao was negotiating for the unconditional release of the hostages.

“We’ve a soldier killed in action and another one wounded. There were two killed and four wounded on the BIFF side. (A) firefight (is) still ongoing,” Bulao said.

“Ongoing ang habulan. May mga ni-release sila (The pursuit is continuing. They have released some hostages) while withdrawing and they have splintered into smaller groups with their own captives as human shields,” Colonel Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said in a phone interview.

The fighting also led to the suspension of classes at all levels in Midsayap for fear of a spillover.

The BIFF is a rebel group that broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
In the early stage of the Zamboanga standoff, BIFF fighters were reported to have joined gunmen from the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf in unsuccessful attempts to seize Lamitan City in Basilan.

At least 15 public school teachers and a still unknown number of students are reported trapped as government troops battled the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Midsayap town, North Cotabato.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, 6th Infantry Division spokesman, said one soldier was killed and two others wounded in the fighting.

At the same time, Hermoso claimed the BIFF fighters allegedly took the teachers and students hostage, using them as “human shields” to cover their retreat, although he acknowledged, “May mga ni-release sila (They have released a few).”

Hundreds of residents have also fled the fighting in the three villages -- Bual Norte, Malingaw and Palunoguen.

The teachers and students were at the Malingaw Central School when the fighting broke out, reports said.

BIFF spokesman Abu Misrie Mama confirmed that their forces attacked the three villages even as he stressed this had nothing to do with the continued standoff in Zamboanga City between security forces and the Moro National Liberation Front.

The BIFF is a rebel group that broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/71291/at-least-3-dead-5-wounded-as-govt-troops-biff-clash-in-north-cotabato