Mindanao Armed Conflict

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Gunmen on board a pick-up truck ambushed and killed the vice mayor of Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte and two of his companions along a lonely highway in Barangay Santa Maria, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.

The ambush occurred at 11:20 a.m., according to Major Edison Alviar, acting police chief of Siocon town.

Alviar said Baliguian Vice Mayor Gani Ismale was driving the dark blue SUV with three escorts traveling to Baliguian when about five gunmen on board a pick-up truck overtook them and opened fire, using long and short firearms.

KIDAPAWAN CITY – The highest military commander in central and western Mindanao has proposed the creation of a “Joint Task Force” for Region 12 and the Bangsamoro region to effectively combat terrorism and illegal drugs.

The proposal from Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana for the creation of joint task force is seen as the best strategy to resolve armed conflict, insurgency and illegal drug trading.

Sobejana presented his proposal to the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting held in Koronadal City last week.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – JTFC security forces together with the Midsayap MPS recovered several high powered firearms and war materials in Barangay Nabalawag of Midsayap, North Cotabato.

The combined troops conducted a joint Law Enforcement Operations on 1230 noon time of December 27 2019 upon receiving information from concerned civilians of the presence of suspected BIFF members in Brgy Nabalawag, Midsayap.

Combined troops of 7IB; 602nd Infantry Brigade; 34IB; 62nd Division Reconnaissance Company; EOD Team; and Pikit PNP recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's) and other paraphernalias today, 27 December 2019 at Sitio Blah, Brgy Manaulanan, Pikit, North Corabato while pursuing the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF).

COTABATO CITY --- The critically wounded victim of Tuesday’s ambush in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao died in a hospital Wednesday, the second fatality in the attack that also hurt a vice mayor.

Hadji Akmad Lumenda Ampatuan succumbed to multiple bullet wounds on Wednesday afternoon, according to relatives and local officials in Shariff Aguak.

COTABATO CITY --- Local executives today urged residents here and in towns in North Cotabato to be watchful of the surroundings following Sunday night’s bombings that hurt 19 people.

Sixteen persons, among them Army servicemen, were hurt in the explosion in downtown Cotabato City while five more got injured minutes later in another blast that rocked Libungan town in North Cotabato, about 30 kilometers away.

MANILA -- Checkpoint operations in Mindanao will continue despite the lifting of martial law by year-end.

"Well definitely checkpoints are going to continue, after all even without the martial law, checkpoints are there," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in an interview with CNN Philippines' "The Source" Wednesday.

Arevalo was responding to questions on how Mindanao will look with the lifting of martial law.

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not inclined to recommend any Christmas truce with the remaining communist rebels, citing that the latter is using the season as an opportunity to regroup their forces.

MAGUINDANAO --- The municipal treasurer of Ampatuan, Maguindanao who was badly wounded in an ambush today is Roshel Kuit and not her husband, Jeric, as reported earlier by the police.

The couple, both wounded, was on a black Montero bearing license plate CAM 4811 when gunmen positioned along a stretch of the Cotabato-Isulan Highway in Barangay Bagan in Guindulungan, also in Maguindanao, shot their vehicle while passing by.

Relatives said the victims were on their way to Ampatuan from Cotabato City when they were attacked. 

MAGUINDANAO --- The Joint Task Force Central on Monday acknowledged the role of local officials and barangay leaders in the Army’s recent takeover of a dozen lairs of the Dawlah Islamiya in the province.

Major Gen. Diosdado Carreon of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division that controls the anti-terror task force said Monday the 6^th ID is also grateful to the local government units that supported their security operations the past three weeks in Maguindanao’s Mamasapano, Shariff Saidona, Shariff Aguak and Datu Saudi towns.