Army foils BIFF harassment in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 31): Army foils BIFF harassment in Maguindanao

SAUDI AMPATUAN, Maguindanao -- Government forces have foiled members of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who harassed them from Friday night until Saturday dawn in Datu Salibo town in Maguindanao province, triggering panic among villagers, the Army said.

According to Col. Felicisimo Budiongan, commanding officer of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade, the harassment from 7 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday did not cause any injury to government forces.

It however struck fear among villagers living near Army bases along the Datu Saudi Ampatuan-Datu Salibo-Datu Piang highway.

When soldiers from three camps returned fire, the attackers fled under cover of darkness, Budiongan said, adding he could not say whether the Army counteroffensive has hurt or killed the attackers.

Abu Misry Mama, speaking for the BIFF, admitted his men launched the attack in retaliation for the death two weeks ago of Tamharin Esmael, allegedly by the military.

Esmael is a sub-commander of the BIFF. Mama said more attacks are coming so long as the Army is in Datu Saudi and Datu Salibo, both in Maguindanao.

Before midnight however, the attackers returned and fired rocket-propelled grenades toward the 1st Mechanized battalion checkpoints. A sporadic exchange of gunfire ensued until about 4 a.m. Saturday, Budiongan said.

The bandits then slowed down and eventually fled when soldiers from mechanized brigade responded, backed by armored personnel carriers, he added.

Residents panicked but no evacuation has been reported.

Soldiers temporarily shut down portions of the Cotabato City-Maguindanao-Sultan Kudarat highway at sunrise to defuse an improvised explosive device planted by the attackers along the highway.

The military reopened the highway more than an hour later.

On Dec. 24, the same outlawed group flagged down four vehicles and hauler trucks and used them to block the highway in adjacent Barangay Bagan, Guindulungan, Maguindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=952011