Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur — May 4, 2024 — Seven commanders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) under the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were arrested by police authorities in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat shortly after attending a high-level assembly on Saturday.
The commanders, all under the Inner Guard Base Command of the BIAF-MILF, were reportedly intercepted at a police checkpoint in Barangay Pinggiaman, Lambayong, as dusk fell. According to Commander Kagi Bassir Ampat of the Inner Guard, his men were on their way home after participating in the official BIAF meeting led by BIAF Chief of Staff and BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua in Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur.
Commander Ampat insists that his personnel were unarmed during the travel and suspects that firearms and grenades may have been planted to justify the arrests. He also claimed that the arrested mujahideen lost their personal belongings, including mobile phones, cash amounting to over P20,000, and other essential items.
Following the arrests, Commander Ampat, along with Bangsamoro lawyer Atty. Allanuddin Hassan, proceeded to the Lambayong Police Station but were informed that the detained commanders had already been turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
Commander Ampat has appealed to MILF and Bangsamoro leaders to help secure the release of their detained personnel. “These are legitimate BIAF-MILF commanders attending an official function. They should not be treated as criminals,” he said.
As of this writing, there has been no official statement yet from the Philippine National Police or CIDG on the incident.