Intensified pursuit ops force BIFF to abandon camp in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 6): Intensified pursuit ops force BIFF to abandon camp in Maguindanao

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao -- The military has intensified its pursuit operations against the ISIS-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) resulting in the discovery of an encampment in Ampatuan, Maguindanao on Thursday.

1Lt. Juvylito Lisondra, commander of the Army’s 21st Mechanized Company of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, led the team of soldiers and police in reaching the site, where about 50 heavily armed BIFF members were sighted by civilians on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The military launched overnight artillery offensives using 105 howitzers against the BIFF members, who were massing in Sitio Narra, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan.

“Our operation foiled BIFF plots to launch attacks against Army bases in Maguindanao,” Lt. Colonel Alvin Iyog, 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion chief, said.

The site was about 800 meters away from Sitio Masalay, where 58 people, 32 of whom were journalists, were mercilessly killed, in what is now known as the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

“The rebels have fled deep into the mountains of Maguindanao,” Lisondra told reporters here.

The village, where the encampment was found, is overlooking the said three adjoining towns, including the national highway and several military installations like detachments, company and battalion headquarters.

Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the 6th Infantry Division (6ID), lauded the civilians for reporting the BIFF sightings to them. He also lauded the soldiers for responding in time.

The clearing operation on Thursday was backed by six armored personnel carriers and two MG-520 attack helicopters.

Sobejana said the rebels belonged to the BIFF-Karialan faction led by Commander Abu Rusdia.

The 6ID commander has ordered the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade in Maguindanao and the 1st Marine Brigade operating in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat and South Upi in Maguindanao to put up blocking forces against the fleeing BIFF radicals.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1055951