By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
The Armed Forces of the Philippines yesterday downplayed the death threat of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters against President Duterte, calling it as a desperate pronouncement after the military took full control of their territory in Maguindanao.
Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, AFP spokesperson for the Martial Law Implementation in Eastern Mindanao, during the Mindanao Hour press briefing in Davao City, said the BIFF most likely made the threat after the military intensified its operations against local terrorist groups, including the BIFF.
“That pronouncement of the BIFF is desperate pronouncement because what happened in Pigcawayan recently is somehow a diversionary attack resulting from the major setbacks they have been experiencing in their stronghold in Maguindanao, specifically in the SPMS box, because our forces there have also intensified operations against the BIFF,” Gapay said, referring to the adjoining towns of Salvo, Pagatin, Mamasapano, and Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao where the BIFF operates.
“These are complementary operations to our operations in Marawi. The Armed Forces is not only operating in Marawi but we also have several operations ongoing all over Mindanao addressing various terrorist groups and one of these is the BIFF,” he added.
The death threat was left behind by the BIFF on a school in Barangay Malagakit, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato that they attacked last Wednesday.