Army Bases Harassed in Maguindanao Amidst BARMM Elections

COTABATO CITY — Attacks against Philippine Army forces and installations in the Maguindanao provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) continue as the region prepares for the historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) on September 14. READ: 27 BARMM areas under highest poll security category READ: Political shakeup in BARMM continues ahead of Sept. 14 polls On Sunday night, unidentified men placed an improvised explosive device near the Truck Armored Vehicle (TAV) of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion assigned to the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion detachment in Barangay Linantangan, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur. Lt. Col. Ronald Suscano said no one was hurt in the Shariff Saydona Mustapha incident. Almost at the same time, an Army detachment in Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte, was also subjected to harassment by about 15 armed men. Soldiers manning the detachment of the 12th Mechanized Company, 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion, noticed people carrying flashlights moving toward the Army base. The group fired at the detachment, forcing government forces to retaliate. The exchange of gunfire lasted about 20 minutes until the armed men retreated. No soldiers were hurt. Following the series of harassment against military units, Suscano said all Army personnel have been placed on heightened alert. It was the fourth attack against government forces since the election gun ban was imposed on July 16 across the BARMM. On Saturday morning, July 18, a military convoy came under a grenade attack in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, wounding two soldiers and three civilians. At about 7 p.m. the same day, a man tossed a hand grenade into the detachment of Charlie Company, 7th Infantry Battalion, in Barangay Macaguiling, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. No one was hurt. Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said the harassment could be retaliatory attacks by lawless elements due to the military’s successful campaign against local terrorists, including the death of Commander Bungos, a leader of the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. /mcm