BIFF bombs bridge in Maguindanao By Alexis Romero (philstar) | Updated July 9, 2013 - 5:45pm MANILA, Philippines - Rogue Moro rebels bombed a bridge in Maguindanao days after the military called off its law enforcement operations in deference to the observance of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th division, said members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) set off two improvised explosive devices underneath the Magaslong bridge in Datu Piang town last Monday at about 11:30 p.m. No one was hurt during the incident, which happened two days before the start of Ramadan. Hermoso said the bridge remained intact but needs to be repaired. “DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) engineers assessed that only light vehicles may pass the bridge while it is undergoing repair,” he said. Hermoso said the stakeholders in the area have condemned the bombing. "This recent act of the BIFF is strongly condemned by the people, businessmen and local government units of Datu Piang and adjoining communities as ‘haram’ (forbidden) especially that the holy month of Ramadan is about to start,” he said. Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said field units are now looking into the incident. “The 6th Infantry Division led by Maj. Gen. (Romeo) Gapuz is the one leading the necessary operations needed in order to answer this new harassment or attack by BIFF forces,” Zagala said. Security forces have vowed to remain vigilant to ensure a peaceful and safe observance of Ramadan. “We will conduct the necessary actions in any harassment or attacks if they do come like what happened most recently,” Zagala said. “We will prudently act and coordinate with the MILF to ensure that our reaction to such terrorist actions is specifically towards only the BIFF responsible for such action,” he added. State forces conducted law enforcement operations from Thursday to Saturday last week after the BIFF mounted a series of atrocities ahead of the resumption of the peace talks with the MILF. These atrocities include the attacking of a civilian community in Barangay Bagumbayan in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat last June 19 that left two persons dead and the harassment of a 33rd battalion patrol base in the same community. The military, however, called off the operations late Saturday as Muslims begin the o of Ramadan. The military said about 80 BIFF members and six soldiers were killed in the law enforcement operations. The information that 80 BIFF members had been slain was based on reports by local governments and civilians. The operations also resulted in the seizing of BIFF strongholds in Barangay Ganta in Shariff Saydona and Barangay Damalabas in Datu Piang both in Maguindanao. BIFF, a breakaway group of the MILF, has vowed to sabotage the peace process between the government and the MILF. The group has scored the MILF for its alleged revisionist policy in abandoning its original stance of Bangsamoro independence.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 15:00:28 +0000
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