1 dies, 1 hurt as BIFF attacks North Cotabato village

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 27): 1 dies, 1 hurt as BIFF attacks North Cotabato village

Suspected member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was killed while a civilian was wounded when lawless elements attacked a remote village in Midsayap, North Cotabato Tuesday night, the military here said.

Capt. Antonio Bulao, speaking for the 602nd Infantry Brigade, said about 30 BIFF members under a certain Commander Dadoy Pulalon, entered Sitio Narra, Barangay Tugal, Midsayap, North Cotabato at past 6 p.m.

But village defenders engaged them in a shootout that lasted for about 30 minutes until Army reinforcement arrived.

Villagers identified the slain attacker as Guialal Kasanorin of Datu Piang, Maguindanao. Siang Sambatan, a barangay tanod, was wounded.

Barangay Tugal chairperson Ping Kulilong said the armed men apparently wanted to rob farmers of their work animals and other valuables like what they used to do in the past.

Barangay Tugal is beside the village of Malingao where last September was also attacked by BIFF that trapped about 62 persons, including 13 teachers.

In the ensuing fire fight, four BIFF and two soldiers were killed.

The BIFF is a breakaway faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that gained notoriety in 2008 following the botched signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

They attacked border barangays in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

It has about 1,000 armed followers.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=591336