Maguindanao Army strategy puts BIFF 'immobilized'

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 6): Maguindanao Army strategy puts BIFF 'immobilized'

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao -- The military’s strategy to deploy troops near areas known to be the area of operation of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was proven to be effective that the bandits could not launch harassment on civilians and commuters in Maguindanao, an Army spokesperson said.

For failure to move around with impunity, the bandits could only try to drive away soldiers sent by Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, before the fasting month ends to thwart any attempt of destabilization by BIFF guerillas.

Frustrated BIFF guerillas fired anti-tank rockets and assault rifles on soldiers deployed in Barangay Ganta, a village known to be BIFF stronghold, located in the borders of Datu Piang and Shariff Saydona, according to Colonel Dickson Hermoso.

Speaking for the 6th ID, Hermoso said the BIFF’s plot to harass the military at the end of fasting month last July 29 was prevented with the deployment of the military forces.

Shortly after the BIFF fired rockets toward military positions, the Army immediately returned fire, forcing the bandits to flee to the marshland of Maguindanao.

“We can only surmise that they want to take back their camp there, which is now guarded by our soldiers, and where the Philippine flag is raised everyday to show it is under government control,” Hermoso told reporters.

He said the BIFF were "immobilized" with Army presence in Barangay Ganta, thus they failed to launch harassment against the Army after Ramadhan and against civilians whom they are mulcting with revolutionary taxes.

No reported casualty in the harassment by the BIFF but the series of evening rockets fired by the bandits caused panic among the local residents who have gone tired of armed conflict in their communities.

”They scare villagers, some of whom happened to be their relatives by blood or by affinity,” he said.

The BIFF, which broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) following the botched signing of Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain in 2008, is not covered by the GPH-MILF ceasefire.

When the 6th ID deployed troops backed by armored personnel carriers in Datu Piang, it was misinterpreted by the MILF who reacted by saying the soldiers were meant for them.

After the military issued clarification it was not for them but for the BIFF, the MILF accepted it.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=669995