BIFF gunman wearing SAF uniform is cousin of Umbra Kato

Philippine Marines gunned down a reported cousin of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) founder Ameril Umbra, alias Umbra Kato, and three other Muslim rebels, including an Arab-looking fighter after encounters in Shariff Saidona, Maguindanao last Saturday (March 7, 2015) night.

Kato’s cousin whose name is still being verified, and three others in Barangay Pusao, Shariff Saidona. Kato’s alleged relative was wearing a uniform of the police Special Action Force (SAF). Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office (AFP-PAO) said the bodies of the four slain BIFF rebels were turned over to local authorities for Muslim burial rites after being processed by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

The soldiers recovered from Kato’s slain relative a mobile phone that contained messages from the BIFF leader who called the rebel his cousin and also issued orders to the guerrillas.

Cabunoc said the military believed that Kato’s slain relative and the Arab-looking rebel were part of the BIFF unit that killed 44 police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos during the clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25, 2015 when the policemen raided the hideout of Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan. The police commandos killed Marwan while his Filipino cohort Basit Usman escaped.

Cabunoc said some 73 BIFF rebels have been killed and 33 others wounded since the offensive was launched last month against the BIFF and the newly formed Justice for Islamic Movement (JIM) led by another Kato relative, Muhammad Ali Tambako.

On the government side, four soldiers, including a young Army ranger lieutenant, were killed while 29 others were wounded in the vicinity of Mamasapano, Datu Piang and Shariff Saidona towns in Maguindanao last Sunday.

Close to 50,000 residents have evacuated from Mamasapano, Datu Piang and Sharif Saidona towns in Maguindanao due to the continued fighting between government troops and BIFF rebels. More than 20 schools in the area have been closed affecting over 20,000 elementary and high school students.