MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato–The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (Biff) torched six houses in a remote village here after failing to overrun a paramilitiary base, the Army here said over the weekend.
The burning of houses and series of explosions in Barangay Polomoguen caused panic among residents on Thursday, according to Lt. Col. Markton Abo.
Abo, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the houses were unoccupied when these where torched–villagers move to nearby villages at night and return at daytime to farm.
Villagers claimed that they have been seeing Biff men massing in the borders of North Cotabato and Maguindanao. For fear of possible hostilities, the villagers decided to leave home at night.
At about 6 pm Thursday, militiamen noticed about 50 Biff members moving toward the village of Polomoguen, prompting them to fire warning shots, triggering a three-hour sporadic exchange of rifle grenades, rockets bullets and the Army firing 60 mm and 81 mm mortars.
Abo said there was no casualty on the paramilitary and civilian sides.
At the break of dawn Friday, the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion conducted clearing operations in Barangay Polomoguen and adjacent villages.
Following the harassment, the Army deployed peacekeeping forces along with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces in the boundary of Midsayap in North Cotabato and Datu Piang in Maguindanao where the Biff operates. (pna)
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