(UPDATED) -- Hundreds of civilians in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, flee from their homes after members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) attacked the town on Wednesday dawn, June 21.
Officials said the BIFF launched an attack around 4 a.m., Wednesday, in a Barangay Peace-keeping Action Team (BPAT) outpost in Barangay Malagakit and harassed a Civilian Armed Group Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment in Barangay Simsiman, taking five civilians as hostages and occupying an elementary school.
The civilians fled as government forces under the 39th Infantry Battalion (IB) clashed with the BIFF led by a certain Commander Agila.
Based on the data from the Cotabato Provincial Police Office, as of 1 p.m., Wednesday, 244 individuals from Barangay Malagakit and 59 civilians from Barangay Banucagon have fled their homes.
The local government unit assisted the evacuees who sought refuge in a multi-purpose building.
The police also reported that there were families who were trapped in their houses due to the exchange of fire.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Pigcawayan intensified their checkpoint at the adjacent barangay that is expected to be used as withdrawal points to preempt the possible exits of the armed men.
Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) security deputy commander and Martial law spokesperson Brigadier General Gapay said in a press forum on Wednesday that security measures were already imposed on the ground to prevent such attack to happen amid the ongoing Marawi crisis.
Gapay added that they boosted their intelligence network, monitoring and coverage in and out their area of responsibility to be informed on the move of the enemies so that they could not penetrate in the area.
He said they also implemented checkpoints, curfew, security of vital installations and critical infrastructures, seaports, airports and the land transportation terminals in coordination with various stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to ensure the public's welfare and security.
Military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said it was possible the attack was intended to disrupt an ongoing military offensive against the Maute Group, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and laid siege on Marawi City.
Some commanders of the BIFF have also pledged allegiance to the Maute Group.
"If this is a diversionary move, it's not the first by these BIFF gunmen," Padilla said. "They have tried to attack more than once and all have been thwarted."
Last month, about 500 bandits laid siege on Marawi, a mosque-dotted center of the Islamic faith in Mindanao, after a failed attempt by government forces to capture a top terrorist.
Philippine troops, backed by airstrikes and artillery, launched an offensive to wrest back control of several villages and the business district. At least 258 bandits, 65 soldiers and policemen and 26 civilians have been killed in the Marawi fighting. (With AP/SunStar Philippines)