Soldiers clash with MILF fighters mistaken for BIFF rebels in Maguindanao

Government forces on Wednesday morning clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members whom they mistook for Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao, a military official said.

"There is an initial update but still subject to verification that earlier today our forces came in contact with elements they believed were BIFF, but it turned out to be MILF forces," the official, who spoke on condition of anonmity, said.

The BIFF is the splinter group of the MILF, which signed a peace agreement with the government in 2014.

The source said the MILF lodged a complaint with the ceasefire committee regarding the incident.

"They (soldiers) encountered the BIFF though the MILF claimed that their fighters were the ones engaged by the military," he said.

A military spokesman based in Mindanao, however, maintained that the soldiers clashed with BIFF rebels and not MILF fighters.

"What we know is that they are BIFF because the MILF knows that we are there," said Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, public affairs officer of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

A soldier was hurt in the clash, according to Petinglay.

The source noted that the clash site in Barangay Gawang in Datu Saudi Ampatuan "was in the general area of our encounters with the BIFF during the last few days."

Soldiers clashed with BIFF rebels on Friday in the nearby town of Datu Salibo where the rebel group was allegedly tring to extort money from a contractor involved in an ongoing flood control project.

Wednesday morning's clash prompted the government and the MILF to activate peace mechanisms to diffuse the tension.

The official said ceasefire officials from both sides have been dispatched to the area to look into the complaint lodged by the MILF.

"Representatives from the government and MILF’s CCCH are already in the area to check the report," he said, referring to the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities. "They went to the area after an initial meeting."

He said the MILF should explain why there are BIFF members in its community, which is a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.

"Ang tanong diyan, since may BIFF sa community nila, may violation sila sa ceasefire. Bakit nandyan ang BIFF? Kung kini-claim na sila 'yun, ang tanong is bakit nandun yung BIFF sa community nila?" he said. —KBK, GMA News