Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen.
Gregorio Pio Catapang on Tuesday vowed to continue arresting and neutralizing
ranking Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) until BIFF commander Ameril
Umbra Kato is apprehended.
Catapang airred this in the wake of the neutralization of
military units of Cmdr. Bisaya during an encounter in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao
last Sunday and arrest of Abdulgani Ismael Pagao, BIFF 4th Division deputy
commander, at Campo Muslim Barangay Holy Mother Bagua, Cotabato City Monday
night.
Aside from this, Pagao is also the financial and spiritual
leader of the entire BIFF, whose strength is now placed at less than 200
fighters.
"(The neutralization of these two) shows that the
leadership of the BIFF is now on the decline. The next thing we will do is to
expedite the location and arrest of Kato," Catapang said in Filipino.
Pagao did not resist arrest when the law enforcers served
the arrest warrant issued by Executive Judge Bansawan Z. Ibrahim.
A loaded caliber .45, caliber M-1911A1 pistol, and a
fragmentation grenade were seized from the suspect.
Pagao was turned over to the Criminal Investigation
Detection Group for inquest proceedings Tuesday.
As this develops, the AFP chief said that they were still
conducting searches against Filipino terror-bomber Basit Usman and hoped to nab
the latter before the rainy season in June.
Catapang also classifies the BIFF strength on the decline
with these recent arrest and heavy casualties inflicted on them by the military
during the month-long focused military operations against them.
The campaign, which started on Feb. 25, so far caused the
death of 151 BIFF men, wounding of 65 and capturing of 12 other BIFF men.
Ten soldiers were killed while another 33 were hurt in the
campaign.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=749423
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