BIFF members killed in clash with militiamen in North Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 21): 3 BIFF members killed in clash with militiamen in North Cotabato

Three members of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), including an escapee from the North Cotabato District Jail last January, were killed in a clash with members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) in a remote village here Thursday, police said.

Chief Inspector Donald Cabigas, Pikit town police chief, identified the slain BIFF members as Tarzan Buntasil, Kensem Dungandong and Rusman Salik Mohammad, who escaped from the provincial jail last January 4.

Cabigas said the clash, which erupted at about 1 p.m. in Barangay Bualan, was triggered by cattle rustling, where one of the suspects took two cows owned by a relative of a militiaman.

During pursuit operations, the militiamen, who are under the 38th Infantry Battalion, clashed for two hours with the armed men later identified as BIFF members.

"The two cows were owned by Cafgu siblings Ariel and Constantino Wacan," Cabigas told reporters.

Police and government forces recovered several high powered firearms from the slain BIFF fighters. The two cows were also recovered.

Bualan village chairperson Ali Piang said several families have fled to safer grounds during the clash but slowly returned home.

Soldiers and police were placed on heightened alert for possible retaliatory attacks by the BIFF.

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