Outlawed Moro armed group harasses North Cotabato village, torches homes

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 21): Outlawed Moro armed group harasses North Cotabato village, torches homes

Outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) torched six houses in a remote village here after they failed to overrun a paramilitiary base Thursday night, the Army here said.

The burning of houses and series of loud explosions in Barangay Polomoguen caused panic among residents, according to Lt. Col. Markton Abo.

Abo, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the houses were unoccupied when torched since the villagers move to nearby villages at night and return at day time to farm.

Villagers claimed that they have been seeing BIFF men massing in the borders of North Cotabato and Maguindanao. For fear of possible hostilities, the villagers decided to leave home at night.

At about 6 p.m. Thursday, militiamen noticed about 50 BIFF members moving toward the village of Polomoguen, prompting them to fire warning shots, triggering a three-hour sporadic exchange of rifle grenades, rockets bullets and the Army firing 60 mm and 81 mm mortars.

Abo said there was no casualty on the paramilitary and civilian sides.

At the break of dawn Friday, the Army's 34th Infantry Battalion conducted clearing operations in Barangay Polomoguen and adjacent villages.

Following the harassment, the Army deployed peacekeeping forces along with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces in the boundary of Midsayap in North Cotabato and Datu Piang in Maguindanao where the BIFF operates.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=933581