Armed men firing rifle grenades toward Sultan Kudarat's protected area - PNP

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 10): Armed men firing rifle grenades toward Sultan Kudarat's protected area - PNP

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat – Unidentified armed men have been firing rifle grenades toward a protected area beside Maguindanao’s Lake Buluan, police said Wednesday.

Former Gov. Pax Mangudadatu also told reporters the armed men have been firing explosives toward a forested area declared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as protected area.

“Almost nightly, we hear explosions across Lake Buluan, we do not know the reasons,” he told reporters. “We can only assume they want to drive away local residents near the area.”

”Once the residents nearby are gone, these armed men might occupy the protected area,” Mangudadatu said.

Supt. Danny Reyes, Sultan Kudarat police provincial director, said investigation has been on-going in coordination with the Maguindanao PNP.

Reyes said the harassment has been happening before and after the Nov. 27 encounter between suspected members of Ansar al-Kalifa Philippines, a lawless group operating in the hinterlands of Sultan Kudarat. In that clash, eight armed men were killed by Philippine Marines in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

He said the latest harassment was recorded Tuesday night and Wednesday dawn.

Reyes and Mangudadatu said the target of harassment was the lake waterfront Royal Hall in Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat where community gatherings take place.

Reyes said a team of police from the provincial public safety battalion has been deployed in the Sultan Kudarat side of the Lake which borders with Maguindanao.

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