Roadside blast wounds 2 TV newsmen, 6 soldiers, 4 others in Maguindanao - Manila Bulletin

by Elena L. Aben and Malu Cadelina Manar

February 2, 2014

Manila, Philippines — Twelve people, including six soldiers, a reporter and a cameraman of a television network, and four other civilians were wounded in a roadside explosion in Maguindanao early yesterday morning.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, Army 6th Infantry Division (6ID) spokesman, said the homemade bomb was believed set off by the splinter group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), which has been fighting government troops for several days now.

But Abu Misry, BIFF spokesman, denied that they were responsible for the roadside bombing.

WOUNDED — A wounded television camera man, Adrian Bulatao, is carried on a stretcher by soldiers after an explosion in Camp Siongco Awang, Maguindanao, yesterday, Feb.1. According to reports, there are 12 casualties, including civilians and four army troopers, after an improvised explosive device went off in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao. The explosion happened following the six days of battle waged by the military against a faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Maguindano province. (Althea Ballentes)

Hermoso said an earlier explosion was reported at around 7:20 a.m. in Barangay Lower Salbu, Dati Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao, but there was no casualty. Personnel from the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Division (EOD) were then deployed to cordon the area.

The 6ID spokesman said a news team from TV5, with reporter Jeff Caparas and cameraman Adrian Bulatao, arrived to cover the incident. As the TV5 news team was reporting near the site of the first explosion, a second bomb exploded, wounding Caparas and Bulatao, six soldiers, and four other civilians.

The victims were hit by shrapnel but Hermoso said there were no serious injuries. He added

that Caparas was apparently saved from more serious injuries by a tactical belt he was wearing. . “Suwerte siya sa tactical belt na suot niya bumaon yung isang shrapnel… kung hindi baka may vital organ siya na tinamaan,” he said.

The explosions came days after the military said it had dismantled the strongholds of the BIFF and captured group’s bomb-making and training facility in the province.

Government security forces have been conducting operations against the BIFF over the past few days. The military said 52 BIFF armed members, including three child soldiers, have been killed and at least 49 others wounded in the operations. An Army trooper has also died and 20 other soldiers wounded, including the six who were hit by yesterday’s explosion.

Hermoso said initial investigation showed yesterday’s blasts bear the signature of the BIFF. “They are now desperate because of the losses they suffered from the on-going law enforcement operations. They are now targeting even the civilians,” he said.

On Thursday, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) issued a statement that the ongoing military operations in Maguindanao are geared to degrading the BIFF’s capability to continue to cause harm to the government forces, civilians, and the peace process being pursued by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Forces (MILF).

The OPAPP said the BIFF, over the last nine months had repeatedly harassed soldiers and terrorized local communities.

“They planted roadside bombs, sniped at our soldiers, took school teachers as hostages, and in one instance, even beheaded a civilian captive. A few days ago, in the midst of the fighting, they commandeered a private vehicle and forcibly used it as a roadblock,” said the OPAPP statement.

“Government and the MILF have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the operations will not spill over to involve MILF combatants or cause unnecessary or prolonged hardship to civilians. The MILF is assisting in the operations by helping the government contain the movements of the BIFF,” the statement add

No surrender – BIFF

Meanwhile, Misry said the BIFF will not surrender.

“Mas matamisin pa nami’ng mamatay kaysa mag-surrender sa teroristang gobyerno,” Misry said when asked by the Manila Bulletin here yesterday about the call of chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer for them to lay down their arms.

Misry said the BIFF will continue to hold its ground and wage war against the government.

“We will never surrender,” he said.

Misry denied military reports on the number of casualties and the alleged death of some high-ranking BIFF leaders in the fighting in Maguindanao. “I just had a meeting with Hassan Indal this morning. He was strong and alive,” Misry said, adding that the military might be referring to some other Hassan.

With regards to a certain “Tambalo” that the military claimed to be among top BIFF commanders killed, Misry said the man is no longer connected with them. “Matagal nang wala sa BIFF si Tambako. Kasi nagkasakit siya at nagpahinga.”

Misry claimed that the BIFF, in the past three days of fighting, inflicted considerable damage on the military, including the destruction of tanks and mechanized artillery. (With a report from Alexander D. Lopez)

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