MANILA – Elements of the Philippine Army foiled a bomb plot on urban centers in Sultan Kudarat before dawn Saturday, seizing improvised explosives and triggering devices in an operation that also resulted in the arrest of five people.
Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, commanding officer of the 33rd Infantry Battalion, said the explosives were seized in Sultan Kudarat’s Barangay Damakling at about 5 a.m.
He said soldiers launched an orchestrated counter-terrorist operations after learning about the presence of bombs in remote Barangay Pagalad.
“Our informant showed us the pictures of terrorist bombers Ustadz Yasser Saligan and his cohort, Sheik Makakena a.k.a. Abu Jihad as they detonated the explosive to test its lethal capability. We have been monitoring the suspects since November 2018,” Cabunoc said.
Under the cover of darkness, combined elements of the 33rd Infantry Battalion and 4th Special Action Battalion, personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-ARMM, and the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office swooped down on the known terrorist lair at around 3 a.m.
Aside from seizing explosives, the raiding teams also collared five people who were caught off-guard by the presence of heavily armed soldiers and SAF commandos.
Troops confiscated four improvised explosive devices and three cal .45 M1911AI handgun from the suspects.
Two of the primary suspects, Abu Jihad and Ustadz Yasser, eluded arrest by jumping into the murky water of the Liguasan Marsh upon sensing the presence of government troops. Those apprehended were handed over to village officials after confirming their real identities.
Military pressure
By 10 a.m., the raiding teams proceeded to Barangay Makainis of General Salipada K Pendatun town, to fetch five members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), who surrendered earlier.
Cabunoc said the five BIFF members belonged to the BIFF faction led by Commander Mayogantong Bansil, a notorious rebel involved in several atrocities against government troops and civilian population.
According to him, Commander Mayogantong sent surrender feelers after knowing the presence of security forces in the adjacent town of Paglat.
“His relative contacted me by phone to confirm his willingness to lay down his arms. He was afraid that we will launch offensives against his group on the same day,” Cabunoc added.
Bansil and his men surrendered four high-powered firearms including a cal. 50 Sniper Rifle, two M1 Garand Rifles, and a 40mm M79 Grenade Launcher. (With GMA News/PN)
