‘Maguindanao town cleared of BIFF bandits’

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — A town in this province has been cleared of bandits belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

This was reported by Rajah Buayan Mayor Zamzamin Ampatuan during a security conference of the Bangsamoro Regional Peace and Order Council on Thursday.

“While we can’t say that our municipality is absolutely drug-cleared, we can brag about its being BIFF-cleared,” Ampatuan said.

He said community leaders and residents helped drive away the bandits following a foiled attack on a military detachment early this year.

 “Not a single villager  evacuated. They stayed around and held the line,” Ampatuan said.

He also cited the assistance of the 106th Command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Officials of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said Maguindanao and Sulu remain the most troubled areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) due to the presence of BIFF and Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Westmincom chief, said local officials and community leaders should cooperate with security officials to defeat local terrorist groups.

“We can take a cue from ... local government units where the domestic security campaign is gaining ground,” he said.

Col. Jose Narciso of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade cited the surrender of more than 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan.

BARMM local government chief Naguib Sinarimbo said the Bangsamoro government would launch Tulong ng Gobyerno sa Nangangaila-ngan or Tugon to facilitate the reintegration to the society of former militants.