The Army's 6th Infantry Division reiterated its warning on
civilians, government troops and police officers against the diversionary
tactics of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
This, as civilian and military informants on Monday said a
group of BIFF members trained by a slain bomb expert, was behind the series of
road side bombings in Maguindanao.
The latest bombing attempt was against a team of police
officers from Guindulungan PNP and in nearby Talayan, Maguindanao, on Friday
and Sunday, respectively.
Two cops were hurt when a road side bomb fashioned from 60
mm mortar with mobile phone as triggering device, exploded in Barangay Bagan,
Guindulungan, Maguindanao on Friday night.
The blast also destroyed a Mahindra patrol car of
Guindulungan PNP. Police and military authorities blamed the BIFF for the
incident.
Capt. Joann Petinglay, speaking for the military, said the
bomb composition has the “signature” of the BIFF, meaning it was made of
materials similar to other bombs set off by the outlawed group in Maguindanao
and nearby areas.
On Sunday, members of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion
on patrol in Barangay Damablak, Talayan town in Maguidanao, found two
improvised bombs at about 7 a.m.
The two IEDs were found near an abandoned house in the
village. Its composition include black powder, cut nails and metal sheets with
blasting caps and mobile phone as trigger mechanism.
The military said the bombing was the handiwork of the BIFF
but as to the information that the perpetrators were trained by slain Filipino
bomb making expert Basit Usman, Army officials would not confirm nor deny the
report.
Civilians told reporters on condition of anonymity that
Usman trained several BIFF members even before Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli
bin Hir was slain in a police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015.
On Sunday, government forces composed of Philippine Marines
and Army Special Forces who are experts in land and water operation were deployed
around the government dredging project.
But as they arrived in the village of Tee
“Nobody was hurt among the troops,” Petinglay said.
Construction of the flood control project has resumed with
government forces securing the perimeter to prevent the BIFF from harassing the
workers.
Once completed, the project will spare Datu Salibo and
nearby towns of Datu Piang and Datu Saudi from floods, a perennial problem
during rainy season.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=864032
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.