Datu Piang police chief target of BIFF, Dawlah Islamiya attack —military official

The armed men behind Thursday night's attack on the town area of Barangay Poblacion in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, were targeting the town's police chief, a military official said Friday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Joint Task Force Central spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Anhouvic Atilano said more or less 50 suspected members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Dawlah Islamiya attacked the area, which resulted in a 35-minute firefight with government forces.

"Ang grupo na 'to ay nabi-belong sa BIFF at Dawlah Islamiya. More or less 50 sila, nahahati sa dalawang grupo. Ang isang grupo nag-attempt na mag-harass doon sa headquarters ng Charlie Company, 6th Infantry Battalion at saka 'yung 30 po nag-attempt na pasukin ang poblacion Datu Piang in the attempt to target the chief of police of Datu Piang... si Police Captain Israel Bayona," Atilano said.

"Sa ating paga-assess sa situation, 'yung ating chief of police ng Datu Piang ay tina-target pala siya nitong armadong grupo na gustong pumasok sa Poblacion Datu Piang," he added.

Atilano said Bayona was on board a police vehicle with his men when they noticed the armed men approaching the area. He said the cops abandoned the vehicle and went to a safe place.

He further said only four members of the 6th Infantry Battalion initially fought with the suspected members of BIFF and Dawlah Islamiya.

"Kagabi po, while he is nakasakay po siya doon sa patrol car kasama ang mga kasamahan niya, noong nalaman nila na may parating na malaking grupo na armado at sumasalubong sa kanila, they alighted the vehicle and naiwanan po nila ito malapit doon sa patrol base ng 6th Infantry Battalion kung saan ang patrol base na ito ang nagbabantay sa simbahan at eskwelahan na magkatabi po ito," Atilano narrated.

"Ang nagma-man po dito ay apat na sundalo lang po at ang nakasagupa po nila ay 30 members, armed members ng BIFF at Dawlah Islamiya. 'Yung mga police po they alighted the vehicle at nagtago po sila sa safer place but 'yung tropa ng 6ID, they try to repel itong mas malaking grupo ng BIFF," he added.

More troops came to help the four soldiers and to prevent further hostilities, Atilano said.

"Noong na-overwhelm na po sila, nag-reposition na po sila sa alternate battle position nila for safety at 'yun na rin po ang pagdating ng reinforcement kaya di po natuloy ang pagpasok ng armadong grupo," he said.

In a separate message, Philippine National Police spokesman Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana said the regional mobile force battalion also helped the soldiers in fighting the armed men.

No casualty was reported among security forces and civilians, according to Atilano. He said the suspects had burned a police vehicle.

Atilano said the military is still determining if there are casualties on the enemy side.

Not similar to Marawi siege

Meanwhile, Atilano believes that the incident could not be likened to the Marawi occupation in 2017 as the suspects were targeting a specific individual and that they did not fire shots towards the residences in the area.

"Ang attempt na ito ay di naman mako-compare. Sa assessment na ating tinitingnan kanina, wala pong mga tama ng bala sa mga kabahayan kasi maraming bahay po dito sa kung saan nasunog itong police car, on both sides maraming mga bahay," Atilano said.

"Ang grupo na ito ay mayroon talagang specific na target at ito nga 'yung chief of police nitong Poblacion Datu Piang," he added.

Authorities are still determining the main reason why the suspects are targeting the chief of police.

"According sa mga reports, may mga nakalaban yata na mga pamilya ito na mayroong relative doon sa hanay ng mga BIFF at Dawlah Islamiya," Atilano said. --KBK, GMA News