Mindanao Armed Conflict

Statement of Police Brig. Gen. Eden T Ugale, police regional director for the Bangsamoro Region on the death of Colonel Michael Bawayan Jr, Sulu police director.

KIDAPAWAN CITY - Unidentified gunmen shot dead a businessman along the national highway in Arakan, North Cotabato Friday afternoon.

The North Cotabato police office identified the victim as Marc Anthony "MacMac" Galindo who had just arrived in front of his home at about 3 p.m. in Sitio Dilion, Barangay Poblacion, Arakan, North Cotabato nito lang hapon.

Police reports showed Galindo had just alighted from his white pick-up and was about to enter his residential compound when two men on motorbike arrived and without provocation opened fire on him.

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- – Marine Troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 under the 2nd Marine Brigade captured assorted firearms and ordnance items in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi on July 22, 2021.

According to NFWM PAO, the Marine troops were tipped off by a concerned citizen about the presence of two unidentified civilians at Sitio Pasabuli, Barangay Tongbangkaw, Panglima Sugala allegedly transporting assorted firearms using one watercraft en route to Sitio Lookan, Barangay Banaran, Sapa-Sapa town Thursday afternoon.

KORONADAL CITY - A combined police-army team shot dead a wanted member of the Dawlah Islamiya terror group in a brief encounter in Tupi, South Cotabato.

The South Cotabato provincial police identified the fatality as Jalman Orandatang of the Ansar Khilafa Philippines group of the Dawlah Islamiya that uses the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as its banner.

Orandatang was killed in a joint police-military operation in Barangay Kablon  in Tupi, South Cotabato for resisting arrest.

MAGUINDANAO --- The police detained four suspected members of an Islamic State-inspired group for keeping assault rifles in their vehicle intercepted in Datu Abdullah Sangki town Friday.

Police Lt. Judith Ambong, chief of the Datu Abdullah municipal police, said Saturday Taib Guimbalangan 55, Mercipol Zainudin, 27, Ali Mohammad, 25 and the 20-year-old Farhan Saludin are now in their custody, to be prosecuted for illegal possession of firearms.

MAGUINDANAO --- Six more members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters surrendered to the military Wednesday. 

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division, said Thursday the group yielded through backchannel intercession by officials of the 90^th Infantry Battalion and Mayor Salik Mamasabulod of Pagalungan town in Maguindanao.

COTABATO CITY ---- The Bangsamoro government will reward the Tausug villagers and militiamen who rescued soldiers from the C-130 Hercules plane that crashed in Patikul, Sulu last Sunday.

Bangsamoro Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said Wednesday their provincial office in Sulu shall identify the villagers and members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit who carried one after another the crash victims away from the burning plane.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao - Combined elements from 90th Infantry (Bigkis-Lahi) Battalion, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 12 (PDEA-12), and Pikit Municipal Police Station arrested five suspects and seized illegal drugs during an anti-drug operation in Barangay Poblacion, Pikit, North Cotabato on June 29, 2021.

The apprehended suspects were identified as Vicente Sambo Pacheco, Mark Sambo Pacheco, John Melchor Pacheco Coleta, Robert Louise Pacheco Cadalso, and Ryan Layna Dela Serna.

MAGUINDANAO --- The military collected this week 42 assorted firearms from sympathizers of the New People’s Army and the Dawlah Islamiya in Maitum and nearby towns in Sarangani province.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division, said Saturday the firearms were turned in by owners through the intercession of officials of the 38^th Infantry Battalion and local leaders.

Maitum is a seaside town in Sarangani province, where there is presence of NPAs and members of the Dawlah Islamiya.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao - The relentless military operations in Maguindanao had forced six extremists belonging to Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) under the Bungos Faction to voluntarily surrender to JTF Central Forces on Monday afternoon, June 28, 2021, at Headquarters 6th Infantry Battalion, Barangay Buayan, Datu Piang, Maguindanao.