By MARTIN SADONGDONG
An expectant mother was killed after military troops reportedly fired mortar bombs at a suspected camp of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao on Tuesday night.
However, Lt. Col. Colonel Dingdong Atilano, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division (6ID), said that the civilian victim, 35-year-old Rabiyah Damada Lakim, was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) from the BIFF. The victim was seven months pregnant and left another child.
Atilano said troops from the 6th Infantry Division fired eight rounds of 105 mm howitzer as part of their “fire mission” in Barangay Kalibo, part of Datu Salibo town, around 10:20 p.m. to flush out suspected BIFF members who were sighted by civilians in the area.
According to Atilano, the group was led by a certain “Commander Motorola” who was among the leaders of a BIFF faction that attacked Datu Piang, Maguindanao last December 3.
Atilano said the soldiers had just finished the military operation and were heading back to base when another explosion rocked the nearby Barangay Pusao, which was part of Shariff Saydona Mustapha town that borders Datu Salibo town.
“Natamaan ‘yung babaeng buntis kahit na maliit na putok lang na pagsabog ‘yung nangyari,” Atilano said.
The blast occurred about 1.1 km from the site of the military’s fire mission and two minutes after their operation, the military spokesman said.
The victim was reportedly evacuating when she was hit by the explosion but the military has a different version of the story.
Atilano said that the victim appeared to be going to the comfort room beside their house when the blast occurred. No other casualty was reported.
Atilano said the soldiers immediately checked the explosion site and found out that the damage was only visible in a small area, suggesting that it was from a different type of explosive.
He said the damage would have been much bigger if the pregnant woman died from the military’s mortar shelling.
“IED po ng BIFF ang sumabog sa kanya. Kung 105 [mm howitzer] ‘yun, maraming madidisgrasya na mga tao doon,” Atilano insisted.
Further investigation was already conducted separately by the military and police to determine what killed the victim.
Security forces and BIFF insurgents have been trading shots in Maguindanao as the military and police try to run after the suspects behind the Datu Piang attack two weeks ago.
Last Monday, a soldier was wounded in an armed confrontation between the 34th Infantry Battallion and BIFF in Barangay Indatuan, Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao.
On the same day, six civilians including two children were wounded after they were hit by a mortar shell in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.
The mortar shelling was conducted by the government troops after suspected BIFF men attacked a military detachment in Sitio Supad.
