ARMAMENTS OF TERROR. The homemade .50-caliber sniper rifle and M-14 rifle recovered from two of the three slain Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters following an encounter Monday (Mar. 2) in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. The slain extremists reportedly belonged to the group of radical preacher Ustadz Karialan that is linked to the series of past bombings in Central Mindanao. (Photo courtesy of 601Bde)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – Three Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) rebels and an Army soldier were killed during an encounter in the Maguindanao town of Ampatuan on Monday, a military official said.
Col. Jose Narciso, Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade (Bde) commander, said on Tuesday the encounter happened in Barangay Tuayan, Ampatuan while the soldiers were verifying reports about the presence of BIFF radicals in the area.
The slain soldier, Sgt. Irvin Alberastine of the Army's 57th Infantry Battalion, was hit by sniper fire from the BIFF whose combatants ambushed the government troopers while on their way to Barangay Tuayan.
Another soldier was also hurt but is now out of danger.
“Alberastine and his companions were on their way to check the reported presence of gunmen in the upland village of Tuayan when attacked,” Narciso said in a report.
Local residents identified the slain BIFF extremists as Ustadz Kamaruh, a preacher, and his companions identified only as Samin and Rida.
Recovered from them were a homemade .50-caliber sniper rifle, an M-14 rifle, an improvised bomb, and bomb-making components.
“The remains of Kamaruh were taken by his fleeing comrades while the remains of two others were left behind,” Narciso said.
Soldiers turned over the remains of the two slain BIFF men to village officials of Tuayan.
The military said the slain gunmen were followers of radical preacher Ustadz Karialan who was linked to the series of bombings in Region 12 (Central Mindanao). (PNA)
