Army foils Maguindanao bombing
Local News • 20:29 PM Mon Sep 19, 2016
1,190
By:
Radyo Bida
A government structure in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao which also served as evacuation center in the past for people displaced by armed hostilities. (contributed photo)
COTABATO CITY – Government forces foiled an attempt over the weekend by lawless
elements to inflict serious injuries or death to soldiers in Maguindanao,
officials said today.
Soldiers also
clashed with suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao and
recovered high powered firearms.
Colonel
Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, said
three powerful improvised explosive devices were left at the doorstep of one of
the detachments in Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao.
Sobejana said
soldiers manning a checkpoint found the improvised bomb at a road leading to an
uphill detachment of 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade at about 6 p.m.
According to
witnesses, two men riding tandem on a motorbike left the explosives and
hurriedly left.
Soldiers
became suspicious and cordoned off the area until Army bomb experts safely
deactivated the IED.
Sobejana said
in a radio interview that another team of government forces engaged an armed
group believed to be outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in a brief
fire fight in Barangay Kauran, Ampatuan, also in Maguindanao.
Soldiers were
verifying a tip from concerned citizens about the presence of armed in the
interior portion of Barangay Kauran.
As the
soldiers were entering the village, about 20 armed men opened fire on them
triggering a brief fire fight until the armed men fled to the hinterlands of
Ampatuan.
Elements of 1st
Mechanize Brigade and 601st Brigade recovered high powered firearms
that included a machinegun, assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades. Soldiers also recovered mortar rounds and
bomb-making devices.
Sobejana could not
say whether or not the armed men sustained casualties during the 30 minute fire
fight. Nobody from the military was
injured.