BIFF attacks military detachment, takes civilian hostages

MANILA, Philippines - Five civilians, including public school teachers, were taken hostage by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) after attacking villages in North Cotabato province on Monday morning.

The military said that at least 100 BIFF bandits attacked the villages Raradangan and Tugal in Midsayap, North Cotabato.

It said a clash erupted at around 8 a.m. after the bandits attacked the detachment of the 40th Infantry Battalion. The soldiers were able to repel the attack and as their reinforcements came, the rebels broke into small groups and escaped.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, speaking for the 6th Infantry Division, said the rebels took the hostages as they were fleeing.

Hermoso added that troops from the 602nd Infantry Brigade engaged the fleeing bandits in Carmen town, also in North Cotabato.

He said that based on reports from barangay officials, the soldiers killed five BIFF members and injured 10 more during the clash.

Midsayap Mayor Romeo Arania said that the teachers taken hostages were from the Malingao Elementary School.

“One of the teachers who managed to flee told me the teachers were not harmed, they were just told not to leave the school,” Arania said.

A professor of Notre Dame of Midsayap said one of the hostages was his wife, a public school teacher. He called his wife’s mobile phone at 9 a.m. but a member of the BIFF answered his call and told him not to call anymore.

“We are doing our best to rescue the trapped teachers and civilians,” Hermoso said.

“Our forces are battling the BIFF and it was difficult for the teachers to get out of school because they might be hit by stray bullets,” Hermoso said.