BY MALU CADELINA MANAR
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Children are now allegedly among those being targeted as possible combatants by elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in North Cotabato.
Captain Edwin Encinas, public affairs chief of the Army’s 602nd Brigade, said the BIFF faction in the area, as led by a certain Esmael Abdulmalik or Abu Torayfe, has been actively enjoining the youth to fight with them since early this year.
“We monitored their recruitment during the first quarter of the year. It is still on-going,” said Encinas, admitting, however, they don’t have actual figures as to how many children have been recruited into Torayfe’s group, if any.
Last month, the 602nd Brigade intensified its military offensives against the BIFF in Carmen, North Cotabato, going on to conduct aerial bombing in several areas, leading to the displacement of some 200 families from Barangay Tonganon and Bentangan.
Two days ago, the military claimed having overrun two known BIFF camps. Torayfe and his group are still at large, however.
Encinas said they will continue to hunt the group down inasmuch as they are also eager to prevent it from gaining more support in the area.
“Hindi natin nilulubayan ang grupo ni Torayfe,” he said. “Also, tuluy-tuloy din ang forum na ginagawa natin para ‘wag mahikayat ang mga Kabataan na sumapi sa BIFF.”