An alleged member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) died while a civilian was wounded in an armed encounter between government forces and militants in Talayan, Maguindanao before dawn on Sunday, August 28.
The 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has yet to reveal the name of the fatality who was a man but Police Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command in Western Mindanao, reportedly identified him as Karutin Kamid Kalantungan, an alleged member of the BIFF-Bungos faction.
Meanwhile, 46-year-old Utain Kalantungan was brought to the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) of Maguindanao after sustaining injuries during the clash. Authorities were determining the possible relation of the wounded civilian to the slain BIFF.
According to a military report, elements of the 601st Brigade, Philippine Army were conducting security operations in Barangay Damablac when they spotted at least 18 armed individuals while massing up their forces around 1 a.m.
The armed men were believed to be members of the BIFF-Bungos faction led by its chief of staff, Khadaffi Abdulatif alias Abu Mukayam; and the group of a certain Andamel Abdulatif alias Mac-Mac, said Col. Oriel Pangcog, commander of the 601st Brigade.
“Tumagal ng limang minuto ang palitan ng putok sa panig ng ating mga kasundaluhan at ng mga teroristang grupo (The exchange of fire between our troops and the terrorist group lasted for five minutes),” Pangcog said.
After the brief clash, the BIFF militants escaped and joined civilians in the village, he added.
The soldiers immediately scoured the encounter site and that was when they saw the remains of the alleged BIFF member.
Troops also recovered on site an improvised explosive device (IED) and various bomb-making components.
Prior to the operation, the 6ID said that four BIFF militants have already been killed by the Joint Task Force (JTF) Central while 154 others have surrendered to authorities since January of this year.