Hunt on for BIFF members who killed farmers, burned houses

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 3): Hunt on for BIFF members who killed farmers, burned houses

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – A military manhunt is ongoing against a group of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who shot dead two farmers and burnt houses over the weekend in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

A military report identified the fatalities as Teduray farmers Nestor Daingan and Rene Usman, both of both Sitio Buntod, Barangay Limpongo, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan.

“The victims were summarily executed around 8:45 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 1) in the vicinity of Sitio Buntod,” Capt. John Arvin Encinas, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) spokesperson, said.

Encinas said the perpetrators behind the incident were from the group of BIFF sub-leaders Jai Abubakar and Boy Sarong of the BIFF Khadafy Adbulatip-Bungos faction.

Responding government troopers brought the cadavers of the farmers to Barangay Limpongo after the incident for proper disposition.

Around 3 p.m. on the same day, the 40 strong-armed group of Abubakar and Sarong proceeded to Sitio Talib, Barangay Kumbintong in the same town and burned two houses owned by Teduray natives in the area.

“The series of incidents prompted the military-led Joint Task Force Central to take appropriate security measures that pushed away the terror group to flee towards the mountainous part of Barangay Macalag,” Encinas said.

In a statement, Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, 6ID commander, expressed condolences to the victims' families.

“We condemn the criminal and barbaric acts of the BIFF in the (Teduray) community that has been living peacefully to preserve their culture, traditions and ancestral homeland,” Sobejana said.

Sobejana said the military will go after the BIFF to safeguard the civilians and put an end to the terror group's atrocities.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1046727