Army: No let up in operation vs. BIFF in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 23): Army: No let up in operation vs. BIFF in Maguindanao

There's no let up in operations against lawless Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao even during the Holy Week, the military here said.

Capt. Joann Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said on Tuesday BIFF members harassed government forces stationed in Sitio Blas, Barangay Tee, Datu Salibo Maguinanao when attacked.

A brief fire fight erupted.

"We expect them to launch attacks on our troops during the Holy Week," she said. "But our troops will not go to holiday, we will continue clearing operations, at break time our troops can pray," she added.

Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the BIFF, said the BIFF will continue "hit and run" attacks even during Good Friday.

He said in Filipino that his group will not stop offensives against the Army "especially if they are not prepared, when they lower their guards, we will hit them."

But Petinglay downplayed Mama's statement saying the BIFF has resorted to plain and simple terrorism by planting improvised bombs even on areas regularly used by civilians and non-combatants.

According to Petinglay, the Army will continue clearing operations in Datu Salibo where the BIFF used to operate and launched their terror activities.

The Army recovered the area near the Liguasan marshland in Maguindanao where a flood control project had been going on.

"We are sad the BIFF targets even civilians by putting up bombs on road side along the Maguindanao-Sultan Kudarat national highway," she said.

Lt. Colonel Warlito Limet, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, the BIFF has reduced to smaller groups for it cannot face the Army might and strength. "It cannot sustain a full blown war," he said of the group.

Since Feb. 5, when the BIFF stopped and torched two heavy equipment of a construction firm working on the flood control project, at least five soldiers were killed by improvised bomb explosion and more than 30 others hurt.

Unconfirmed reports showed more than 30 BIFF have been killed during the month-long skirmishes but the Army would neither confirm nor deny the reported number of BIFF fatalities.

A village official said BIFF normally kept their fatalities under wraps and bury them right away according to Islamic tradition.

The project has been ongoing since late last month with Army Special Forces and a contingent of Philippine Marines providing the perimeter security.

The government is constructing a PHP58 million worth of flood control project aimed at saving Muslim farmers' lives and crops when the rainy season comes.

Extortion was the main triggering issue in Datu Salibo because the BIFF wanted to mulct the construction firm, according to military officials.

Petinglay said the soldiers will continue clearing the captured BIFF stronghold of bombs before the Army will recommend the return of displaced families.

 

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=869444