Military accuses BIFF of attempting to derail RP-MILF peace negotiations

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 3): Military accuses BIFF of attempting to derail RP-MILF peace negotiations

Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) harassed two military detachments in Cotabato province on New Year’s Eve, resulting in one soldier slightly wounded, in an apparent attempt to spoil the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a military official yesterday said.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), said that first to be harassed by BIFF elements was the detachment of the Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion (IB) and the 5th Special Forces Battalion in Paidu Pulangi, Pikit town at around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 31.

Hermoso said the BIFF rebels positioned themselves in Barangay Dasawao in Datu Piang, Maguindanao and fired at the detachment located across the Maguindanao River.

“There was harassment by fire against the troops, intermittent up to morning of Jan. 1... it was on and off. Our soldiers retaliated... there were no civilians on the side of the BIFF position while in Paidu Pulangi on the other side of the river, the civilians were frightened,” Hermoso said.

“There was one soldier slightly wounded. On the side of the BIFF, we can’t determine but we have monitored some wounded,” Hermoso said.

Around 15 minutes later, BIFF members also harassed the 40th IB detachment in Barangay Nabalawag in Midsayap.

Hermoso said that the exchange of gun fires lasted for about 30 minutes.
“Our troops were ready,” Hermoso said.

There was no reported casualty during the second harassment.

Asked what is the assessment of the military in the latest BIFF attacks, Hermoso cited the ongoing peace negotiations between the government of the Philippines and the MILF.

“They (BIFF) don’t want the peace talks with the MILF to prosper,” Hermoso said.

The BIFF, founded by Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato, broke away from the MILF due to differences with the leadership of chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim in handling the peace negotiations with the government.

Kato is known as among the hard-core MILF leaders wanting to establish a separate Islamic state in Mindanao instead of settling for an autonomy.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/military-accuses-biff-of-attempting-to-derail-rp-milf-peace-negotiations