Mindanao Armed Conflict

COTABATO CITY --- The Bangsamoro regional police and the Western Mindanao Command will cooperate in identifying the Abu Sayyaf bandits who killed 11 Army personnel in a clash in Patikul, Sulu Friday for them to be prosecuted in court.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the military’s WestMinCom, said Saturday the 11 fatalities all belonged to the 21^st Infantry Battalion, one of Army units trying to clear the island province of Sulu from Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

COTABATO CITY --- Seven followers of the extremist Imam Bongos, wanted for recent deadly bombings in central Mindanao, surrendered to the military.

Col. Jose Narciso of the Army’s 601st Brigade said Friday the seven members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, all from Sultan sa Barongis town, yielded and turned in assorted firearms following the military’s heavy anti-BIFF offensives last month in Maguindanao province.

They belong to a BIFF faction under Imam Bongos, a preacher long wanted for acts of terror.

COTABATO CITY --- A police team shot dead a murder suspect and arrested two accomplices in Lumbatan town in Lanao del Sur before dawn Monday.

Policemen, backed by members of the Army’s 55^th Infantry Battalion, were to arrest Abubacar Omar, who is incumbent barangay chairman of Bubong-a-Macadaar in Lumbatan, and his relatives, Kamal Dita and Basit Minalang, all wanted for murder.

MAGUINDANAO --- Twenty nine followers of wanted Dawlah Islamiya leader Imam Karialan returned to the fold of law Tuesday.

The 29 Dawlah Islamiya bandits yielded through the joint intercession of municipal officials in Radjah Buayan, Maguindanao, the Army’s 33^rd Infantry Battalion and the 601^st Infantry Brigade.

They turned over their firearms officials of the 33^rd IB on Monday at the unit’s command post in Radjah Buayan and, subsequently, pledged allegiance to the government on Tuesday.

COTABATO CITY ---- Eight more members of the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya, the group blamed for all deadly bombings in central Mindanao in recent years, surrendered in separate rites Friday.

Five of them, Saed Sadam Malsek, Mahir Mumna Datumanong,  Abdullahsid Zuarto, Moktar Saed Pangalao, and Usman Abu Ali, yielded to the 90^th Infantry Battalion under the Army’s 601^st Infantry Brigade.

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Joint police and military forces rescued on Tuesday night the physician abducted by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in the province of Sulu.

The Sulu Provincial Police Office said the physician, Dr. Daniel Moreno, was rescued following a firefight around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Bangalan, Indanan, Sulu.

PIKIT, North Cotabato – Three members of IS-linked armed group surrendered to military authorities here on Friday bringing with them high powered firearms and rifle grenades.

The three members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) group belonged to Ustadz Karialan faction operating in the borders of Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

COTABATO CITY --- Soldiers on Saturday found three more dead Dawlah Islamiya gunmen killed by soldiers in clashes this week in upland areas in Maguindanao province.

The cadavers of Abdul Dinas, Mosani Lomen and Pendih Sanggutin bore gunshot and shrapnel wounds sustained in gunfights with Army units that cleared from Dawlah Islamiya bandits the strategic hills in the border of Ampatuan and Datu Hofer towns.

Dinas and Sangutin are both radical clerics, according to members of the municipal peace order and councils in the second district of Maguindanao. 

COTABATO CITY --- Guns have been silent since Tuesday night in the hinterland borders of Maguindanao’s Ampatuan and Datu Hoffer towns, but evacuees are reluctant to return to their homes for fear of harassments by the Dawlah Islamiya.

The Dawlah Ismiya, also known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, is feared for venting ire on innocent civilians for losses in encounters with state security forces.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao  – More war materials and bomb making ingredients were found by government forces in former encampments of IS linked gunmen overran by the Armed Forces of the Philippine a following a weeklong air and ground assaults.

Lt. Colonel Edwin Alburo, commander of the 57th Infantry Battalion, in his report to Colonel Jose Narciso, 601st brigade commander and Major Gen. Diosdado Carreon, 6th Infantry Division commander, said the war materials were found by 57th IB troopers in the mountains of Ampatuan, Maguindanao Tuesday afternoon.