COTABATO CITY—The chief of police of Datu Piang town in Maguindanao was relieved on Monday, December 7 three days after the Islamic State-linked Moro gunmen raided the town’s military and police outposts.
BARMM Police chief, Brig. Gen. Samuel Rodriguez, ordered the relief of Capt. Israel Bayona, Datu Piang police chief. He was replaced by Maj. Alexander Butuan, former police chief of Shariff Aguak, another town in Maguindanao.
The BIFF gunmen, belonging to the IS group Dawla Islamiya, were believed to be targeting Bayona when they stormed the police and Army outpost at a village in Datu Piang.
Residents who requested anonymity also revealed, the armed group hate Bayona pointing to his leadership style and his anti-Islam activities which reportedly triggered the unrest.
The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have sworn allegiance to IS.
A certain Abu Jihad, who claimed to be the spokesperson of BIFF Kagi Karialan faction said illegal gambling and unIslamic activities, like the sale of drugs, and other illegal acts prompted the BIFF raid.
Jihad denied that the attackers planned to burn Sta. Teresita Parish Church and Notre Dame of Dulawan high school campus.
Bayona has been reassigned to the BARMM police regional headquarters in Parang town, Maguindanao, according to Rodriguez.
Lt. Col. Anhouvic Atilano, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the gunmen were out to get Bayona, who had led the arrest of two men with relatives in the BIFF prior to the terrorists’ siege.
The attack sent civilians, the majority of them Muslims, cowering in fear in their homes while others running to safety as the terrorists, many of whom were teenagers, opened fire at houses.
Bullet holes were visible on tinted glass windows of the parish church and one found its mark on an image of Sta. Teresita, the town’s patron saint.
Initial findings by the Special Investigation Task Group said the attack could be in retaliation for the killing of Abu Suffian, a BIFF member, in Cotabato City last Dec. 1.
Suffian was a suspect in a bomb attack in front of a Cotabato City mall on Dec. 31, 2018, that left two persons dead.
Police are also considering as a motive the alleged rivalry involving town officials, one of whom has close relatives in BIFF.
Rodriguez had announced that police would file a string of criminal charges against Salahuddin Hasan, alias Salah, and Muhiden Indong, alias Commander Motorola, for the Datu Piang attack.
Police and military officials, however, said there was an attempt to burn the two Church facilities which were foiled by policemen and soldiers from the 6th Infantry Battalion.-Edwin Fernandez
