A BOMBER from the terror group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters died on Saturday after he resisted arrest and tried to detonate a grenade at a checkpoint in Pandag town in Maguindanao, the military reported yesterday.
The fatality, Kaliga Usman Kamsa, “was involved in bombing incidents in Maguindanao,” said Maj. Arvin Encinas, spokesman of the Zamboanga City-based AFP Western Mindanao Command. “He is a bomber in the Maguindanao area.”
Encinas said troops from the Army’s 4th Infantry Battalion swooped down on Kamsa’s safehouse in Barangay Siling Paglat at around 6:15 a.m., for charges of possession of explosives and firearms.
He said Kamsa appeared to have sensed the arrival of the troops and escaped on board his motorcycle. Militiamen manning a checkpoint in the nearby Barangay Malangit intercepted him moments later.
“The blocking troops were to apprehend him but he resisted,” said Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao.
Encinas said troops shot Kamsa as he tried to detonate one of two hand grenades which were later recovered from his possession.
“He resisted by trying to detonate a hand grenade. He took a gamble,” said Encinas.
The BIFF is group composed mostly of former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which signed a peace accord with government in 2014 during the time of President Benigno Aquino III.
The BIFF pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria a few years ago. Like the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute Group.
