Islamic Insurgency in the Philippines: Armed Forces Chief Declares All-Out Offensive

Last Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. ordered an all-out offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a rogue group of former Muslim separatist rebels whose recent clashes in central Mindanao with the larger secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have resulted in the displacement of large groups of the local population. The BIFF is the armed wing of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM), which broke away from MILF in response to the peace talks between the AFP and MILF. “I am saddened by the news that at least 20,000 people had been displaced by the violent attacks perpetrated by the BIFF in the hinterland villages. We will do our best to protect the people and allow them to go back to their homes,” Catapang said in a statement.

This effort is aimed at a complete neutralisation of BIFF in order to safeguard local communities from further attacks and Catapang called on government forces to remain strong and united in face of a “common enemy”.

A Tall Order

In face of the AFP’s order of an all-out offensive, BIFF has remained defiant and even welcomed the initiative. BIFF spokesperson Abu Misri Mama maintained that BIFF would “never surrender” and “die fighting” regardless of the volume of combat personnel invested in the offensive against it.

“It’s up to them. We will welcome them with heavy resistance even if Aquino and the senators will join them,” said Mama in an interview with the Inquirer.

Citing the all-out war declared by President Joseph Estrada against MILF in 2000 before BIFM broke off, Mama stated that the principles of guerrilla warfare enabled MILF to suffer minimal casualities while “the stench of the dead (AFP) soldiers was in the air”, maintaining that BIFF would be more than prepared to foil this new attempt by the AFP.

Mama however added that BIFF’s only concern would be for the local civilians who would be displaced by the conflict between the AFP and BIFF.

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, head of the AFP Public Affairs office admitted on Wednesday that neutralising BIFF would not be easy given the high mobility of its members and how they hid within civilian communities to evade pursuit.

Ceasefire Complications

The offensive against the BIFF may experience further complications posed by ceasefire mechanisms between the AFP and MILF. This is especially so in the wake of the Mamasapano incident on January 25 when 44 members of the elite forces from the Philippines National Police (PNP) were killed on a mission to arrest prominent Malaysian terrorist Zulfiki bin Hir and his Filipino henchman Abdul Basit Usman. The high number of police casualties was attributed to successful coordination between MILF and BIFF in response to this mission.

However, recent clashes between MILF and BIFF in central Mindanao tell a different story. In the same interview, Cabunoc said that MILF had been providing assistance to the AFP in the monitoring of BIFF’s movements. Indeed, the AFP seems cautious about antagonizing MILF in its all-out offensive. In his rally against BIFF, Catapang reminded military unit commanders stationed in the area to coordinate their operations with the PNP within the framework of established ceasefire mechanisms between the AFP and MILF to avoid any violations.

While Cabunoc has indicated that the military has sufficient forces in the area to execute this all-out offensive, further obstacles such as the BIFF’s guerilla tactics, the ceasefire agreements between the AFP and MILF as well as a reported tactical alliance between BIFF and the group of Usman remain. Over the next few weeks, it will become apparent whether the history of the “all-out war” of 2000 will repeat itself.