Army map of Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte – Two members of a local terrorist group were killed in a clash with government forces in Shariff Aguak town of this province over the weekend, the Army here said Monday.
Lt. Col Benjamin Cadiente Jr., Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion head, identified one of the two fatalities as Omar Indong, a member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)-Karialan faction operating at the border of this province and Maguindanao del Sur.
His companion remained unidentified as of this posting.
Cadiente said troops manning a checkpoint in Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak noticed an approaching tricycle at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday when a shootout erupted.
“When the personnel of Bravo Company, 33IB were about to check the tricycle, the rider disembarked and suddenly fired towards the approaching troops which prompted them to return fire. The firefight lasted seven minutes,” Cadiente said.
Soldiers rushed the wounded suspects to the Maguindanao provincial hospital but were declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.
Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said recovered from the slain suspects were a .45-caliber pistol, bullets, and the tricycle.
Galido said the BIFF- Karialan faction also attacked soldiers securing public work personnel doing repair works of Typhoon Paeng-damaged Labu-Labu Bridge in Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao del Sur, late last week.
A soldier was killed during the attack, and two others were injured. It remained unclear if the attackers suffered casualties.
Since January this year, six BIFF were killed while 175 others have surrendered to the Army. (PNA)
