Military units engaged in the ongoing law enforcement
offensive operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)
have recovered bomb component in Datu Unsay town, Maguindanao Saturday morning.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office
chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said this took place 8 a.m. in Sitio Quarry, of
the above-mentioned town.
He added that a platoon of soldiers headed by 2nd Lt.
Salalima discovered materials that are used in detonating improvised bombs
including cellular circuit boards, fuses, blasting caps and cell phone
batteries.
The items were hastily abandoned by BIFF members who eluded
arrest in the ongoing law enforcement operations carried out by both the AFP
and the Philippine National Police.
AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang earlier said
that the BIFF has turned some parts of Maguindanao as terrorist haven and bomb
factories.
It can be recalled that the troops of the Philippine Marine
Corps were able to seize an enemy camp with bomb-making facility in Barangay
Dasikil in Mamasapano town last February.
"We will continue to deploy troops in these former BIFF
controlled areas inside the 'SPMS Box'. We will not allow Basit Usman and his
cohorts to make this area a safe haven and launching pad for their terrorist
actions against innocent people," he added.
The towns consisting the so-called "SPMS Box" are
Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi), Mamasapano and Salibo (Shariff Saydona).
Catapang also said that the AFP will facilitate the
implementation of development projects that are needed to address the social
issues raised by the poor people in areas that are currently affected by armed
conflict.
"The President has instructed me to facilitate the
launching of peace and development projects in the area. An initial amount of
Php67 million pesos has been allocated by the President for infrastructure
projects that we dubbed as 'Bridge for Peace', 'Roads for Peace', 'Hospital for
Peace' and 'School for Peace'," the AFP chief stressed.
Catapang will attend the inauguration ceremony for the
bridge project in Mamasapano town anytime next week.
"We want to help the government turn this impoverished
town into a productive place where people use plows instead of guns in their
quest for economic prosperity and lasting peace," he said.
Catapang has also challenged the AFP's peace partners, the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front, to prevent the entry of BIFF in the 'Area of
Temporary Stay' (ATS).
The ATS is the temporary place where armed members of the
MILF were relocated prior to the conduct of law enforcement operations in
February.
The AFP is still pursuing small bands of BIFF members who
have splintered into small groups to evade the security forces.
Initial coordination has been made with the local government
units and Department of Education for the conduct of graduation ceremonies for
thousands of school children who have evacuated to safer grounds due to the
armed clashes.
Catapang has directed the ground commanders to suspend law
enforcement operations in cleared areas and to secure the sites where the
graduation ceremonies would be held starting next week.
However, he emphasized that law enforcement operations
against the bandits who chose to fight the security forces, will continue in
selected areas which are away from the "SPMS Box".
As of Sunday, the AFP has accounted 139 killed, 53 wounded
and 12 arrested among the BIFF members.
Prior to the launching of the all-out offensive law
enforcement operations last month, the BIFF has reached about 300 active
members out of those who bolted from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front about
five years ago.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=746835
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