Alert soldiers, CAFGU foil BIFF attempt to overrun base in Maguindanao

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao  – Military forces fired simultaneous shots within a kilometer radius from a government forces detachment in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao harassed by radical rebels Wednesday night.

Lt. Colonel Anhouvic Atilano, speaking for the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division, said the undermanned Army-para military patrol base in Barangay Labo-Labo was attacked at about 10 p.m. by still undetermined number of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

“That attack was foiled,” Atilano said, adding that nobody was hurt in the attack. 

He was uncertain if the attackers who carried out the offensive under cover of darkness had casualties when soldiers from nearby towns and detachments fired machineguns, mortars and artillery around the harassed patrol base.

The detachment in Barangay Labo-Labo is situated before the approach of Labo-Labo bridge and manned by soldiers and Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

Atilano admitted that the series of gun bursts and artillery fires were launched by the Army to prevent other BIFF members from coming in.

“We advise the civilians to stay home and report to nearest Army base if they saw BIFF gunmen near them,” the Army spokesperson appealed.

Atilano described the harassment as another attempt to impress the BIFF is still a force to reckon with.

He said last night’s attack could be a retaliation to Army offensives launched in the Liguasan marshland after the Datu Piang attack last Dec. 3.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, 6^th Infantry Division commander, has ordered the deployment of more soldiers backed by armored personnel carriers in areas within the so called “SPMS box.”

“SPMS box” is a military term referring to the adjoining towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi Ampatuan), Mamasapano and Shariff Saydona, all in Maguindanao and known to be the bailiwick of BIFF.