Police and military and authorities here have launched
manhunt against suspected hitmen of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (BIFF) who liquidated anew an off duty soldier in Datu Hofer town in
Maguindanao Sunday.
Capt. Joan Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson,
said covert operations are still on going to bring the suspects before the bar
of justice.
Two elements of the BIFF executed Sunday afternoon an off
duty soldier at past 4 p.m. in Datu Hofer, Maguindanao,
It was the fifth attack against government forces in
Maguindanao.
The Army spokesperson refused to give details of the
operation but stressed it was meant to "put a stop" to the atrocities
carried out by BIFF in Maguindanao's second district.
Petinglay identified the latest victim of BIFF "hit and
run" tactics as Corporal Saturnino Saragena of the Army’s 38th Infantry
Battalion.
Saragena, according to Petinglay, went to the market place
unarmed and in civilian clothes to buy his group’s dinner when attacked by
gunmen armed with 9mm pistols.
With the series of attacks against government forces in
Maguindanao, Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, directed field
commanders to institute preventive measures, like prohibiting soldiers from
roaming or travelling alone.
“Our division commander has directed field commanders to
prevent soldiers from travelling or doing marketing chores in high risk areas
alone and unarmed," she said.
Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the BIFF, was quick to admit
his group was behind the attack, saying “government forces are our enemies.”
Saragena was declared dead on arrival at Maguindanao
provincial hospital.
He was a cadre-in-charge of a para-military detachment in
Datu Hofer, a known stronghold of BIFF.
A week ago, BIFF also liquidated two unarmed soldiers
working for the rehabilitation of a school in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao. They
were on board a motorbike carrying carpentry tools when ambushed by BIFF.
Before that, suspected BIFF also killed a member of the Army
mechanized battalion out on marketing in Barangay Magaslong, Datu Piang,
Maguindanao. His companions were wounded in the mid-afternoon attack.
Two weeks ago, BIFF was blamed in the ambush of two men, one
of whom was a police officer, who were just passing by in Datu Salibo town in
Maguindanao on board a Toyota
van.
In June, BIFF bandits killed Police Officer 1 Habib Narciso,
and wounded another, PO1 Abdullah Hashim in Datu Saudi municipality. The two
were on board together on a motorbike when shot by armed men riding on a
separate motorbike.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=779633
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