BIFF fails to overrun Army base in NorCot

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 3): BIFF fails to overrun Army base in NorCot

Renegade Muslim rebels tried, but failed anew, to overrun an Army detachment in Barangay Paidu Pulangi, Pikit, North Cotabato, the Army here said.

Capt. Antonio Bulao, speaking for the military's 602nd Infantry Brigade, said about eight Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) members have been firing at soldiers station across the Rio Grande river in Barangay Paidu Pulangi.

"From across the river, the BIFF had been sniping our troops since noon Friday," Bulao told reporters, though no casualty was reported.

Bulao accused the Muslim rebels from mulcting National Irrigation Administration (NIA) officials and private contractors of a flagship irrigation project in North Cotabato.

Bulao said the BIFF forces have been demanding protection money from the administration of Malitubog-Maridagao irrigation project that provides irrigation to 16,000 hectares of rice fields in the towns of Pikit and Aleosan, both in North Cotabato.

"The BIFF is demanding a P3 million money from NIA officials and private contractors," Bulao said.

The BIFF, former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), had launched series of attacks against government forces stationed in Barangays Nabalawag and Paidu Pulangi, both in Pikit.

On January 1, the BIFF attacked a militia-Army detachment of 40th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Nabalawag that left two BIFF killed and a soldier wounded, Bulao said.

The next morning, a huge number of BIFF forces harassed a detachment of the 7th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Paidu Pulangi, forcing the Army to use artillery to drive away the rebels.

Quoting village officials, Bulao said seven BIFF fighters were killed when hit by artillery attacks on Thursday morning.

"They wanted to show they are still a force to reckon with, thus they continue to harass Army and irrigation project workers," he said.

At 1:00 p.m. Friday, BIFF forces also fired on the Army detachment in Paidu Pulangi from across the Rio Grande de Mindanao which separates North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

Abu Misry Mama, speaking for the BIFF, confirmed their men were involved in the harassment but denied extortion allegations by the military.

"I believed we have not suffered even one wounded fighter," Mama said in Filipino.

The Mal-Mar irrigation project is a multi-billion irrigation dam funded by World Bank and national government.It first phase has been benefiting Moro rice farmers in the towns of Kabacan, Pikit and Aleosan, all in North Cotabato.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=601643