Cops, rebels clash in SoCot firefight

by Frencie L. Carreon

Elements of the Polomolok Municipal Station led by Supt. Supiter engaged with a group of suspected rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in a firefight at daybreak today at Sitio Basak, Barangay Sumbakil, Polomoloc town in South Cotabato.

Police authorities said they were serving a court-issued search warrant on a residence in the area but the armed men violently resisted.

According to SSupt Robert Kuinisala, Police Director of the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office, the search was conducted by virtue of search warrrant duly issued by a local court. It was witnessed by Sumbakil barangay captain Asgar Mangelen and other barangay officials. Nobody was arrested as the houses were empty when searched by the police.

The search operation resulted to the seizure of two firearms. Seized were 1 unit M1 Garand rifle with 1 clip of ammunition from the house of Ustadz Kamaruddin Sumapal, and an M79 grenade launcher from the residence of a certain Warren. Other items seized were camouflage boots and packs. Said items are in the custody of Polomoloc Municipal Police Station.

The police joint team involved was composed of the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office, Regional Mobile Group 12, Special Action Forces, 1204th and 1205th Provincial Police Mobile Group, and Polomolok Municipal Police Station.

Earlier, there had been reports of sightings of armed men in Sumbakil and neighboring barangays during the past weeks. Abdulatip Sumapal, a.k.a. Commander Diego Del Moro, 107th BC BIAF-MILF deputy commander for Expeditionary Force, is a resident of Sitio Basak, Sumbakil, where he allegedly maintained a sizeable armed force.

Another police report indicated that on mid-morning last December 9, a resident of Sitio Basak and a security guard of nearby Mira Farm engaged in a shootout over a minor misunderstanding. Residents at the area claimed that some 20 armed men believed to be MILF members under Commander Diego del Moro attacked said lone guard. It is not yet known however if today's police action is related to the Mira Farm incident.

Meantime, a raw information from police intelligence indicated that the MILF would likely retaliate to take counter-action on the search, whose subjects are close relatives of Abdulatip Sumapal, a.k.a. MILF Commander Diego del Moro, 107th Battalion Deputy Commander for Expeditionary Forces.