Maguindanao relief workers survive BIFF-Army crossfire

DATU SALIBO, Maguindanao- Relief workers of the Maguindanao provincial government were trapped in Wednesday’s firefight in Datu Salibo town between bandits and soldiers, but all survived unscathed via a witty escape folks who witnessed the incident keep talking about.Provincial budget officer Lynette Estandarte, in-charge of the People’s Medical Team (PMT), said they were winding up with their relief services to 747 people when bursts of automatic gunfire reverberated through the surroundings, bullets whizzing through their location.It was not the first time volunteers of the PMT, operating under the supervision of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, placed their lives on the line, but Wednesday’s experience was something so scary for them.The skirmishes so near the site of the relief mission involved soldiers and marauding members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).The BIFF is known for its wanton disregard of the safety of non-combatants, including relief workers, civilian motorists and commuters, when perpetrating guerilla attacks.The group is also feared for its practice of beheading non-Muslim captives, as what members did in previous attacks at farming enclaves in North Cotabato.The provincial government’s emergency response contingent has been busy with relief works since late December for thousands of evacuees dislocated by BIFF attacks.Some of the PMT relief workers panicked as BIFF gunmen fired their assault rifles recklessly, but senior team members, who had undergone survival and combat evasion trainings, managed to calm them down and lead them away from the scene.The incident also sent villagers running for their lives.The BIFF gunmen who came close to the PMT contingent were eventually driven away by soldiers after a running firefight.Barangay folks said stories had spread, after the incident, purporting that the BIFF attack was meant to drive relief workers away to enable bandits to forage on whatever food supplies they might abandon as a consequence of a mayhem.The PMT volunteers held the line and eventually retreated from the scene safely, ready and undaunted to come back another day to serve evacuees yet again.