Army condemns attack on military ambulance by BIFF
• 03:16 AM Wed Apr 1, 2015
1,048
By:
Edwin Fernandez
6th ID chief and Task Force Central commander Maj.Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan. (6th ID photo)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao - The Army's 6th Infantry Division on Tuesday condemned the ambush and killing of a military ambulanceby suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao on Sunday.Maj General Edmundo R. Pangilinan, 6th ID chief and commander of Task Force Central, said the slain Army ambulance driverwas transporting wounded infantrymen from the Army-BIFF encounter in Shariff Saydona to the Maguidanao provincial hospital when ambushed in Barangay Elian, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao. It only shows that these bandits do not observe and respect the International Humanitarian Law (IHL),” he said in a statement released by the Division Public Affairs Office on Tuesday.A band of BIFF fired at the ambulance as it hurriedly transporting wounded soldiers. The medical team was able to
fire back at the bandits while bringing the wounded soldiers to a safer
area.
The drive fatality, identified as SSg
Robert E. Espia of Forward Support Medical Platoon of Task Force Central, was
hit while driving an ambulance. On board the ambulance were two wounded elements of the 34th Infantry Battalion.The soldiers were also killed in a separate clash inBarangay Pamalian, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao.
Thirteen BIFF were reported killed, including three commanders. One of them was allegedly the hit squad leader of the BIFF who pinned down at least seven soldiers in separate occasions in Maguindanao.The slain soldiers were identified as Cpl
Faizal A. Julmain and PFC Marlon E. Marino of 34th Infantry
Battalion and PFC Vincent Q. Gulla of 1st Mechanized Battalion.
The series of encounters last Sunday was evident that some members of the BIFF are still in the operation area.
On Monday, AFP Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang announced
the conclusion of the month-long all-out offensive against the rebel group
BIFF. However, the government forces will still continue pursuing the scattered
members of the BIFF to prevent the group from regrouping and reorganizing in
conducting terror activities in Mindanao.
A send-off ceremony was also held in 6ID for the four soldiers who made the
ultimate sacrifice during the recent clash.