BIFF gunmen attacked NorCot village, take civilian hostage
Local News • 18:43 PM Wed Jun 21, 2017
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
PIGCAWAYAN,
North Cotabato – Outlawed Moro armed group allied with ISIS confirmed it was in
its custody undetermined number of civilians after they harassed before dawn
today a remote village here.
Abu Misry
Mama, speaking for the BIFF, said the civilians are safe.
We secured
them, he told and//www.ndbcnews.com.ph www.ndbcnews.com.ph . We protect them from the bullets for Army,
we will release them later, we did not use them as human shields.
Capt. Arvin John
Encinas, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said clashes are still
ongoing with the Army and police pursuing some 200 heavily armed Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) fleeing to the Maguindanao marshland with
undetermined hostages used as human shields.
Encinas said the
armed men, led by Commander Abunawas Damiog alias Commander Agila, attacked the
Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) outpost in Barangay Malagakit and later
in Barangay Simsiman starting at 4 a.m.
Armed BPAT and
militiamen engaged the attackers in gun battle until sunrise.
Encinas said the gunmen took several civilians as they fled. Pursuit
operation is still on going, Encinas said, adding that no casualty was
reported on government side.
Villagers also
said the armed men took five pupils and used them as human shields.
Following the
incident, the Pigcawayan education officials suspended classes in Barangay
Malagakit and Simsiman as well as two other nearby public schools.
Chief
Inspector Reylan Mamon, Pigcawayan police chief, said the gunmen also opened
fire on a lone security guard of Barangay Simsiman National High School who sought
assistance from a nearby Army detachment.
The gunmen
also ransacked Simsiman high school, police said.