The Army's 6th Infantry Division stressed on Wednesday that
the Army operation in Talayan, Maguindanao on Monday was legitimate and did not
violate the civil and political rights of the residents.
Capt. Joanne Petinglay, speaking for the 6th ID, told
reporters the soldiers of the Army mechanized battalion based in Talayan simply
responded to reports about the presences of armed men, believed to be members
of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the village of Katibpuan
"As out troops were entering the village, they were met
with volley of fires, forcing them to respond and a 15-minute firefight
ensued," she said.
The firefight, which left a soldier wounded, was halted when
the armed men fled and mingled with the civilians.
"Our troops cannot arrest civilians who were unarmed
despite reports they were armed before the soldiers came," she said.
The wounded soldier was immediately evacuated to Camp Siongco
Station Hospital
and later transferred to Notre
Dame Hospital
Clearing operations conducted by troops at around 6 a.m. in
the area further resulted in the recovery of a firearm and a magazine with four
live rounds of ammunition.
Petinglay said remnants of the BIFF are still roaming around
interior villages in Maguindanao's 10 towns after the massive law enforcement
operations of Task Force Central was terminated in March.
"They are still there, trying to prove they are still a
force to reckon with but as far as the military is concerned, they are
considered a spent force," she said.
She urged local government officials, from town to village
governments, to help the military and the police contain lawlessness in their
communities so development could start.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=761529
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