Malacañang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday (AFP) downplayed the threats issued by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) against President Rodrigo Duterte.
About 100 BIFF members attacked two villages in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato and held several residents hostage on Wednesday, raising fears that the violence in Marawi City had spilled over to other areas in Mindanao.
In the wake of the Pigcawayan attack, which left one militia man, a civilian, and 6 BIFF bandits dead, authorities discovered burned photos of Duterte and messages saying the President will be shot dead.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella downplayed the threat, saying the group had no capability to launch an attack that could threaten the Chief Executive’s life.
AFP Eastern Command Deputy Commander Gilbert Gapay, meanwhile, believes the BIFF’s threat against the President was only borne out of desperation following the group’s losses against the military in their stronghold in the so-called “SPMS box.”
The SPMS box refers to the adjoining Maguindanao towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi), Mamasapano and Shariff Saydona.
“[These] are desperate moves and undertaken actions by the BIFF. Dahil (because) they were expecting a big result out of that attack, because almost 100 of them attacked two barangays in Pigcawayan,” Gapay said.
“It was a significant number and they were expecting a result in the furtherance of their — of what they want to achieve that —papansin ba na (do we pay attention), ‘We’re still here, we’re still a force to reckon with’. But it turned out to be otherwise.”
Gapay added the President is expected to gain a lot of enemies as he battles many societal ills and security threats.
“So, with a strong political will demonstrated by the President — sabi nga niya (he said) from his words, marami siyang kaaway (he has enemies),” he said.
“And of course our Presidential Security Group is making some adjustments on this. And of course, security measures are being assessed from time to time for the safety and security of our President.”
AFP spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla earlier said that some BIFF members were fighting with other Islamist extremists in the besieged Marawi City.
Abella and Gapay, however, said Wednesday’s BIFF attack was not an indication that the violence in Marawi, located some 160 kilometers north of Pigcawayan, has spilled over other parts of the region.
“The BIFF attack in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato has been assessed to have no connection to the ongoing Marawi rebellion,” Abella said.
“It is seen as the BIFFs’ attempt to recover from more than two weeks of setbacks from ongoing operations of the AFP’s 6th Infantry Division.”
Gapay, for his part, said the military was working to make sure that the BIFF threat would not grow as big as the one posed by the Maute group.
“Just like Maute Group, BIFF is also a target of military operations. A dedicated unit is right now tasked to address this threat,” Gapay said.
“And just like our effort against the Maute group, we will sustain our operations against the BIFF until they have been decimated.”
Story: ABS-CBN News
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