MILF guerrillas attack village; 1 dead, 5 hurt

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Muslim separatist guerrillas attacked a village in Carmen, North Cotabato last Thursday night, killing a teenager and wounding five others, the military said.

The attack on Sitio Gawasan in Bentangan, Carmen town was followed by an assault by about 100 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels on a command post of the 64th Infantry Battalion in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat at dawn Friday. Two soldiers were wounded.

Col. Hilario Atendido, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command, said residents of Sitio Gawasan fled in fear as eight MILF rebels sprayed their houses with automatic gunfire at about 10 p.m.

Killed in the attack was 16-year-old Jaime Pinili, and wounded were Carmelita Baluan, Jeofrey Jawod, Clence Pinil, Rexon Baluan and Lando Anlombos.

Atendido said elements of the 63rd Infantry Battalion rushed to the village and pursued the rebel attackers who fled toward the Kitubod mountain range in North Cotabato.

Meanwhile, MILF guerrillas led by Kagui Abas Bukol, attacked the command post of the 64th IB in Mayo, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat at about 4:30 a.m. last Friday.

The soldiers fought it out with the rebels, who belonged to the 102nd Field Division of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), for nearly four hours.

Two soldiers, whose identities were withheld, were wounded in the firefight. The military said the rebels suffered casualties, but brought with them the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Atendido said the MILF launched the attack to try to recover the headquarters of the BIAF’s 103rd Brigade which government troops overran last Wednesday after two days of running gunbattles, which left six soldiers and at least five rebels dead.