BIFF leader, 11 cohorts slain in Maguindanao Sur

MANILA, Philippines — A leader of one of three factions of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and his 11 followers were killed in an encounter with soldiers in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur the other day.

Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, First Brigade Combat Team commander, said seven soldiers were wounded in the clash and evacuated to a military hospital for treatment. Three other BIFF members managed to escape.

Mohiden Animbang, alias Kagui Karialan, who was tagged in bombings in Central Mindanao, and his brother Saga, said to be trained in bomb-making by slain foreign terrorist Zulkfli bin Hir, alias Marwan, were among those killed, according to members of various municipal peace and order councils and military commanders under the 6th Infantry Division (ID).

The firefight erupted in Barangay Kitango at 7:30 a.m.

Five M16 rifles, three M14 rifles, two M653 and an M14 were recovered from the fatalities.

“We are thankful to the vigilant people who promptly provided our units in Maguindanao del Sur with information on the convergence there of these terrorists, enabling us to immediately launch a calibrated anti-terror strike,” Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, 6th ID commander, said.

Karialan and his men were known for bombing buses if operators refused to shell out protection money on a regular basis, as well as drug trafficking.

Rillera said the military, with the assistance of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, has been reaching out to the group of Karialan to surrender.

”Government forces are sworn to protect the community from this terrorist group where we have reached the recourse to utilize the might to end terrorism,” he said. –  Diana Lhyd Suelto