CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – A suspected member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was arrested following a brief encounter Friday afternoon between soldiers and the terrorist armed group in the Maguindanao town of Pagalungan, the military said.
The firefight along Tunggol River erupted when BIFF members, led by Gapang Sapal--a sub-commander of the Islamic State-linked BIFF-Abu Toraife faction--fired at personnel of the Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion pursuing gunmen onboard a motorized banca.
Colonel Alfredo del Rosario, 602nd Infantry Brigade chief, told reporters that the soldiers were checking on intelligence reports about the transport of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao to Kabacan, North Cotabato when the gun battle took place around 3 p.m.
After a 15-minute firefight, Del Rosario said government troopers arrested Mohamid Kambilan, a follower of Abu Toraife - whose group was tagged in the Isulan twin bombings last week that left five people dead and 48 injured.
Three civilians living near the river were injured in the crossfire and rushed by soldiers to a hospital in Kabacan, North Cotabato, he said.
Del Rosario said the soldiers recovered two M16 rifles, a Garand rifle and a .45-caliber pistol at the encounter site. No IEDs were recovered.
Del Rosario could not say if the BIFF suffered fatalities but said plenty of blood was found at the clash site.
The road linking North Cotabato and Maguindanao were closed from 3 p.m. until past 4 p.m., and motorists were advised to avoid traveling at night as military pursuit operations continue against the terror group in the area.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1047328
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