Joint police and military authorities have launched a
manhunt against two suspected hitmen of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (BIFF) who ambushed two policemen in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao
Tuesday.
Senior Inspector Solaiman Bakal, police chief of Datu Saudi
Ampatuan, said police have the identities of the suspects but withheld them as
pursuit operation was still on going.
Bakal said the suspects shot and killed Police Officer 1
Habib Nasifu and wounded PO1 Abdullah Asim, both belonging to the PNP Regional
Public Safety Battalion based in Datu Salibo town, Maguindanao.
Bakal said the two unarmed and in civilian clothes police
officers were onboard a tricycle at 10 a.m. when two men riding tandem opened
fire on them from behind in Sitio Manhole, Barangay Lower Salbo.
Responding policemen recovered empty shells of cal. 45
pistols at the crime scene.
Tuesday’s attack was one of the series of "hit and
run" tactics by the BIFF whose strength had been reduced to less than 50
after the Army launched massive offensive against them in February.
Its spokesperson, Abu Misri Mama, quickly admitted his group
was behind the attack.
Since January, at least 10 soldiers and policemen have been
neutralized by BIFF hit men in Maguindanao.
Capt. Joan Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson,
said the BIFF could no longer launch major attacks against government forces
and shifted to guerilla tactics, attacking soft targets like policemen and
soldiers in civilian clothes conducting rehabilitation efforts in the province.
Before Tuesday's attack, the BIFF shot dead two young
soldiers who were working as carpenters of Datu Unsay Elementary School
The soldiers, both unarmed and in athletic uniforms, were on
board motorbike from Shariff Aguak town carrying carpentry tools when ambushed
by BIFF gunmen riding in a separate motorbike.
Following the rising cases of BIFF attacks, Maj. Gen. Edmundo
Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, directed all military units in Maguindanao to refrain
from using motorbike as mode of transportation along hot spot areas of the
province.
Soldiers were directed to always move in tandem and armed
using military vehicles to prevent sudden and unexpected attacks from BIFF
lawless groups.
Despite the harassment against foot soldiers, Pangilinan
said the Army will continue its peacekeeping mission in Maguindanao by helping
civilians during calamities, rehabilitate damaged schools and infrastructures.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=778102
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