BIFF attacks to recover former camp

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines  – The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters  have attempted anew to  recover their former camp at the border of Datu Piang and Shariff Saidona towns.

This was the third attempt of the the BIFF in two days to recover their camp.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the spate of attacks by the outlawed BIFF, from between Saturday and late Sunday, scared residents in Barangay Ganta.

The barangay is located at the swampy boundary of Datu Piang and Shariff Saidona towns in the second district of Maguindanao.

“They kept harassing the soldiers guarding Barangay Ganta since last week,” Hermoso said.

He said the bandits would crawl near their former camps in Barangay Ganta, now guarded by combatants of the 45th Infantry Battalion, and the 6th ID’s 61st and 62nd Reconnaissance Companies, and open fire with assault rifles and shoulder-fire anti-tank rockets.

“And when soldiers engage them to prevent them from coming close, they retreat to different directions,” Hermoso said.

The BIFF was driven out of Barangay Ganta  by units of the 6th ID after a two-day offensive. - John Unson