Army foils BIFF bid to overrun Maguindanao camp as 3 hurt in feud between MILF units

From InterAksyon (Dec 16): Army foils BIFF bid to overrun Maguindanao camp as 3 hurt in feud between MILF units

For the second time in as many days, government troops foiled an attempt by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters to overrun an Army base in Maguindanao Thursday night.

The attack on the headquarters of Bravo Company of the 19th Infantry Battalion in Baarangay Bagan, Guinduliungan town came hours after three persons were wounded when feuding units of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front clashed in Ampatuan town.

Colonel Robert Sarmiento, 19th IB commander, said about 50 heavily armed BIFF fighters Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters led by “Commander One Eye” mounted the attack on the company headquarters, which was on the alert following separate attacks by the rebels on detachments 2nd Mechanized Battalion and the Datu Salibo police the night before.

Meanwhile, the Army’s 57th IB reported that a land dispute triggered the Thursday afternoon clash in Barangay Kakal, Ampatuan between MILF fighters led by Commander Jack Tuaba on one hand and a Commander Alud on the other.

Quoting from the report, Colonel Cirilito Sobejana, 601st Infantry Brigade commander, said residents of a community to which Alud belonged were harvesting their corn crops when followers of Tuaba reportedly encroached on the area around 4 p.m.

The report named the wounded MILF fighter as Gringo Sangki, Dading Kadil and Jaime Pasayan, all residents of Kakal and followers of Tuaba.

Kakal councilman Kagi Suadan said the fighting continued overnight but did not cause residents to evacuate.

Government troops have been deployed to the village to secure the civilians and allow the MILF leadership to settle the dispute.

http://interaksyon.com/article/135322/army-foils-biff-bid-to-overrun-maguindanao-camp-as-3-hurt-in-feud-between-milf-units