AFP dismantles security roadblocks leading to Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – The military on Friday dismantled security roadblocks on highways leading to the province while intelligence operatives are in town centers monitoring the movements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, on Saturday said they have deescalated their offensives against the BIFF rebels in seven Maguindanao towns, but Army Ranger teams and intelligence operatives are tracking down the rebels who split into smaller groups.

“Our operations now would tactically be focused operations, meant to continue decimating the capability of this group to launch attacks while at the same time ensuring the tranquility in areas where they once had encampments that are now secured by government forces,” he said.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu ordered on Wednesday the mayors in seven towns where the military and the BIFF have had a four-week firefight to immediately act on any reported presence of rebels in their respective municipalities.

Mangudadatu said the seven mayors are empowered to initiate police actions against bandits in their towns as provided for by the Local Government Code.

Three soldiers were injured Tuesday when BIFF rebels attacked a building of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Barangay Pagatin in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.

The rebels fired grenade launchers at the DSWD building where relief workers were attending to the needs of thousands of evacuees in school campuses nearby.

Local officials said the attack was an apparent retaliation for the 12 rebels killed by government troops last week.

Army intelligence officials said there are also indications the BIFF was responsible for the foiled attempt to set off an improvised explosive device along a busy section of the Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City.

Pangilinan said military intelligence units have been deployed in Central Mindanao to initiate backdoor dialogues with the business, religious and political communities to maximize public cooperation in preventing possible retaliations by the BIFF.

Pangilinan said Army Ranger teams have continued patrolling in secluded areas in the seven Maguindanao towns where soldiers and BIFF bandits figured in more than 20 gunfights in the past five weeks.

He said the Army units that fought BIFF forces in recent weeks are now helping in the relief operations of the Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the office of the provincial governor.

Meanwhile, two suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed by government troops in Patikul, Sulu on Thursday.

Joint Task Force Zambasulta commander Rear Admiral Reynaldo Yoma and Joint Task Force Group-Sulu commander Col. Allan Arrojado said the fighting took place at Sitio Poncho Kan Sahiron, Barangay Danag where the troops encountered some 80 heavily armed bandits led by Commander Hairulah Asbang.

Two of the Abu Sayyaf were killed in the ensuing firefight and their bodies were recovered by the pursuing troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-2.

The troops also recovered two high-powered firearms of the slain bandits, whose bodies were left behind by their fleeing comrades. – With Jaime Laude