Palace shrugs off BIFF threat vs Duterte

MANILA, Philippines -  The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has no capability to assassinate President Duterte, Malacañang said yesterday as it laughed off a supposed death threat scribbled on a blackboard at a school in a North Cotabato town raided earlier by militants.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the BIFF has no support from local residents and is just good at “media manipulation.”

“The local Muslim community, the Maranaos especially, do not want this. And for whatever reason that they (BIFF) are dealing with this, whether it is personal interest or what, there is no ground support for them,” Abella said at a press briefing yesterday in Davao City.

“I think we need to go back to the fact that these are isolated groups that are brilliant at media manipulation,” he added.

But Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, deputy commander of the Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command and spokesman for martial law in Eastmincom, said the Presidential Security Group is making some adjustments in its security arrangement for Duterte, especially with his having declared martial law and ordering offensives against Maute terrorists in Marawi City.

After attacking two barangays in Pigkawayan town in North Cotabato earlier this week, the BIFF threatened to launch its next attack in Davao City, the President’s hometown.

“And of course, security measures are being assessed from time to time for the safety and security of our President. So with a strong political will demonstrated by the President, it really – sabi nga niya (he said), marami siyang kaaway na – he’s making many enemies,” Gapay said.

In the Pigkawayan attack on Wednesday, eight BIFF members and one government militiaman were killed.

After driving away the bandits, security forces found torn posters of Duterte as well as a scribbled note on a blackboard threatening the President with death.

Gapay dismissed the BIFF threat against the President as a “desperate pronouncement.”

Duterte has not had any public engagement since Wednesday but officials claimed he was just resting and that his private time had nothing to do with the supposed threats. 

Maute-BIFF alliance?

While security officials maintained that the Pigkawayan attack was not related to the Marawi siege, Gapay said a tactical alliance between the BIFF and the Maute group is possible.

Gapay said both the Maute and the BIFF, particularly the Bungos faction, had sworn allegiance to the Middle East-based extremist group Islamic State.

“As far as tactical alliance is concerned, that is very possible and we have seen that in some operations wherein BIFF fighters are sending augmentation to, not just Maute, but also other terrorist, local terrorist groups in the country,” the Eastern Mindanao Command deputy chief said.

Asked how serious is the threat posed by the BIFF, Gapay said:  “Actually, it’s not as serious as the one we’re fighting in Marawi because BIFF is contained in their stronghold in SPMS box and our troops there are doing very well in containing the BIFF.”

He said a “dedicated unit” is dealing with the Maute threat.

“And just like our effort against the Maute group, we will sustain our operations against the BIFF until they have been decimated,” he added.

Gapay said committing atrocities may have been BIFF’s way of making its presence felt and creating impression that it is still a force to reckon with. “These are desperate moves on their part,” he said.

Peace Assistant Secretary Dickson Hermoso said the BIFF attack would not have an effect on the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He said the MILF has demonstrated its readiness to become a partner of the government for peace and development.

“Really, I can vouch for their sincerity and their volunteerism and their spirit to help us in this peace corridor,” Hermoso said, referring to the MILF.  

Meanwhile, a source said people should get used to not seeing President Duterte in public for a time  as he also has in own way of working, of doing things on his own in addressing the various concerns of the country.

The last time the President was seen in public was when he visited the wounded soldiers in Camp Edilberto Evangelista station hospital in Cagayan de Oro City and he spent time with evacuees in Iligan City.

“The President is really like that. You may not see him for some time but it doesn’t mean he is not working at all. He gets briefed everyday and kept abreast of what is happening in the country and he gives out instruction away from the public view,” another source close to the President said.

But the President is expected to be back at Malacañang next week for the celebration of the end of Ramadan.

The President is expected to sign the draft of the new Bangsamoro Basic Law that the MILF and the  Bangsamoro Transition Commission have just completed.

“Duterte also has that style, he trusts and leaves his men, his Cabinet men and other officials, to work on their own and be able to deliver on their respective tasks without his micromanaging them. He wants results and wants to know what they plan to do given a certain situation or problem,” a source said.