Security forces collar senior BIFF leader in Maguindanao

From InterAksyon (Mar 31): Security forces collar senior BIFF leader in Maguindanao

Combined elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police have arrested a ranking BIFF leader in Cotabato City.

Lt. Col. Harold M. Cabunoc, Chief, Public Affairs Office, AFP, informed journalists that Abdulgani Esmael Pagao was arrested in Campo Muslim, Brgy Mother Bagua, Cotabato City at about 8:30pm Monday.

"He did not resist arrest when the law enforcers served the arrest warrant issued by Executive Judge Bansawan Z. Ibrahim," said Lt. Col. Cabunoc.

A loaded caliber .45 M1911A1 pistol and a fragmentation grenade were confiscated from Pagao.

He was turned over to the PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detective Group for inquest proceedings.

Pagao is considered the second ranking BIFF leader arrested by government troops since the start of the law enforcement operations against the BIFF in February 2015.
Another leader, Commander Bisaya, was killed in a clash with the Army troops in Datu Unsay town on March 29.
Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr, AFP Chief of Staff, ended the "all out offensive operations" against the BIFF at 12 noon on Monday (Mar 30).

However, calibrated law enforcement actions against the bandits using small unit patrols will continue.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/108011/security-forces-collar-senior-biff-leader-in-maguindanao