The military's 6th Infantry Division has launched manhunt against suspected hit men of outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who executed two young soldiers in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao Monday.
Capt. Joann Petinglay, speaking for the 6th ID, said
elements of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion had been deployed in strategic areas
in Maguindanao's second district to locate the attackers.
More checkpoints were also put up to thwart similar attempts
in the future.
Petinglay also reiterated the directive of Maj. Gen. Edmundo
Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, to all unit commanders banning the use of motorbikes
as mode of transportation of soldiers in Maguindanao and to avoid travelling
alone, whether armed or unarmed.
On Monday, two young soldiers, with a rank of private first
class, were killed in another daring attack by suspected members of the BIFF.
Petinglay said the incident took place while the victims
were heading to Meta
Elementary School
The slain soldiers were part of the Army engineers working
on the rehabilitation of the school damaged by armed conflict in February.
Petinglay said initial reports showed that the victims,
whose identities were withheld until their next of kins are fully informed,
were riding tandem on a motorbike along the national highway when the suspects
tailing them on separate motorcycle, opened fire.
The victims were unarmed and wearing athletics uniform when
fired at.
Petinglay said the victims went to Shariff Aguak to fetch
construction instruments when the shooting occurred.
Responding soldiers found empty shells for cal. 45 pistol at
the crime scene.
Petignlay said the suspects also took the soldiers'
motorbike and fled toward the so called SPMS box (Shariff Aguak, Pagatin,
Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak box).
The soldiers rushed the victims to the Maguindanao
provincial hospital but were declared dead on arrival.
“It was very unfortunate that these unarmed soldiers working
for peace were killed in a treacherous way by the BIFF, they don’t even care
for the future of the children in the area whom the soldiers were
serving," Petinglay said.
The 6th ID's engineers have been rehabilitating the school
which was damaged by fire and mortar attack during the February government
forces-BIFF clashes.
Monday's attack by the BIFF was the third since last week.
On Monday last week, BIFF members, led by Commander Salah,
son of BIFF founding chair Ameril Umra Kato, killed a soldier of the 2nd
Mechanized Battalion in Datu Piang town. Two other soldiers were wounded.
On Tuesday, BIFF bandits also killed two persons in an
ambush in Barangay Palian, Shariff Saydona, Maguindanao.
The victims, one of them wearing a t-shirt with
"Police" markings, were on board a white Toyota Innova vehicle when
waylaid by BIFF.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=775189
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