The
military in Maguindanao has launched a massive manhunt against a band of Moro
bandits who ambushed a ranking Army brigade commander in Datu Unsay town on
Monday morning, officials said.
The
mid-morning ambush left two soldiers killed and two others wounded.
Colonel
Dickson Hermoso, speaking for the 6th Infnatry Division, said Colonel Gener del
Rosario, commander of 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, survived the ambush but
two of his subordinates perished while two others sustained injuries when
suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) set off roadside bombs and
sprayed their disabled vehicles with automatic rifles and rockets.
The
ambush happened in Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao at around 11:00 a.m.
Colonel
Gener del Rosario, 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade commander based in Shariff
Aguak, Maguindanao, was on his way to the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in
Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao when suspected members of the BIFF set off
improvised bombs and sprayed the Army vehicles with rifle grenades.
"Our
troops are pursuing the guerrillas who fled to the hinterlands of Shariff Aguak
and South Upi, all in Maguindanao. We inflicted casualties on the enemy
side," Hermoso said.
At
least five BIFF members were believed killed and scores wounded when soldiers
returned fire, triggering a running gunbattle that lasted for two hours.
Because
of the incident, government forces temporarily shut down portions of the
Cotabato-Davao highway until the area was cleared of booby traps possibly left
by the ambushers.
One
of Del Rosario’s escorts was killed on the spot while another expired while
being treated at Camp
Siongco
Hermoso
said their identities were withheld pending notification of their next of kin.
Two
other soldiers were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.
Hermoso
said the BIFF rebels tried to close in and finish off the infantrymen but
retreated to higher portion of the highway when elements of the 45th Infantry
Battalion, led by Colonel Donald Hongitan, responded.
Elements
of the 45th IB are still pursuing the fleeing BIFF members, Hermoso said.
Hongitan
said many BIFF rebels were believed killed when the Army fired .50-caliber
machine guns.
“Unfortunately,
we lost two enlisted soldiers in that encounter,” Hermoso said.
As
of posting, Hongitan and his men have launched a massive pursuit of the
ambushers who fled to the hinterlands South Upi, Shariff Aguak, and Dau Saudi
towns, all in Maguindanao and believed to be the base of BIFF, a renegade group
opposed to the GPH-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace process.
Traffic
along portions of Cotabato-Gen. Santos highway was reopened to commuters at
2:00 p.m.
BIFF
bandits used two powerful roadside bombs fashioned from 81-mm and 60-mm mortars
and set them off as Col. Del Rosario's convoy was approaching.
The
Maguindanao incident came hours after suspected BIFF set off two of three
improvised bombs at a roadside in Barangay Batulawan, Pikit, North
Cotabato at 6:00 a.m. Monday.
Two
IEDs went off while police and military bomb experts were defusing one IED
found about five meters from the highway in Barangay Batulawan.
Because
of the incident, traffic along portions of the Cotabato-Davao highway was
rerouted until midday.
Following
the series of IED bombings in North Cotabato
and Maguindanao, Hermoso said more soldiers were deployed as road security to
ensure the safety of the riding public.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=642908
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