The Army's 6th Infantry Division on Monday said
"infighting" triggered the killing of bomb making expert Abdul Basit
Usman in Guindulungan, Maguindanao.
Capt. Joann Petinglay, speaking for the 6th Infnatry
Division, said Usman and his men figured in a shootout in Sitio Talanaken,
Barangay Muti, Guindulungan at past 11 a.m. Sunday.
She said the area is near the relocation site of the members
of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who were temporarily transferred
from their communities during the conduct of the military offensive against the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
"MILF members rushed to the area of the encounter after
hearing the exchange of fires and found the dead bodies as well as the firearms
scattered in the area upon arrival," the 6th ID said in a separate
statement.
Petinglay said prior information received by the Army showed
that there had already been misunderstanding and mistrust among Usman and some
of his members after continuous military operations were conducted for the past
months which gave pressures to the group.
Reports manifest that the infighting among Usman’s followers
was fueled over burned out locations and operations of the group to military
forces and for the tussle for the huge bounty that was put on his the head.
Maj. General Edmundo R. Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, lauded
those who exerted efforts to put pressure on the group of Usman that resulted
in his demise.
He said the security sector and the MILF had played a huge
role in the success of the mission to get Usman into this situation.
The MILF in particular had shown sincerity in supporting the
peace process by voluntarily moving out from their homes and communities during
the conduct of the all-out operation against the BIFF and for not allowing the
BIFF to join and hide in MILF areas, he said.
The MILF group also actively helped the government in
flushing out terrorists such as Usman’s group from their former safe havens
making them vulnerable to security forces detection.
Further, Petinglay said, the MILF had previously been
providing information to security forces which led to the arrest of prominent
BIFF leaders such as Mohammad Ali Tambako and Esmael Pagao.
She said the death of Usman was a huge set back to the BIFF
and to terrorist groups that are still operating within the area of 6ID.
It is expected that more of the BIFF leaders will be taken
down in the coming days.
An MILF official who asked not to be named to reporters that
Usman was considered a 'martyr' by some extremists in Guindulungan.
“For some people, he was a ‘martyr.’ Some even wanted to
acquire custody of his cadaver because they knew of the reward money," the
MILF official sid.
The source said officials of the MILF’s 105th, 106th and
118th Base Commands agreed not to bring Usman’s cadaver to the town hall of
Guindulungan as requested by the mayor for fear groups interested in the bounty
might clash and triggered more shootout.
MILF's sub commander Barok and Commander Marlboro both
belonging to the 118th base command were believed responsible for neutralizing
Usman.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=758665
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