Three Moro bandits and a soldier were killed when Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters attacked an Army base in Maguindanao, police and military authorities said Monday.
Reports reaching the 6th Infantry Division information unit said three BIFF members were killed when government forces returned fire after the rebels harassed Saturday dawn the Salvo detachment of the 45th Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
Two other soldiers were slightly wounded after an hour-long firefight.
Abu Misry Mama, speaking for the BIFF, admitted they harassed the Army base.
Col. Edgardo Gonzales, 2nd Mechanized Infantry brigade commander, said the more rebels could have died when the military used artillery fire against a group of BIFF in Barangay Lower Salvo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao.
Three other BIFF were confirmed hurt in the skirmishes, Gonzales said.
According to Mama, they will continue harassing government forces in retaliation to their offensive three weeks ago.
Gonzales said the military will remain on defensive position and will not hesitate to use its full military might to counter any BIFF offensive.
At least 50 BIFF guerillas were killed when the military launched offensive against them in four Maguindanao towns which also led to the recovery of its main camp in Barangay Ganta, Datu Shariff Saydona.
Government forces were to serve warrants of arrest against BIFF members facing multiple murder charges when the skirmishes intensified and led to massive military offensive.
Mama also denied they were behind attempts to topple down power lines in Maguindanao, saying if power outages occurred they too would suffer, a claim the Army laughed off and described as mere propaganda.
Maj. Gen. Romeo Gapuz, 6th Infantry Division chief, said the military will remain on active defense to ensure the safety of national highways and civilian populace.
Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, police regional director in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), also directed the Maguindanao PNP to ensure safety of civilians and road networks.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=621490
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