Senate urged to probe Maguindanao del Sur ambush that killed 4 soldiers during Ramadan

A Senate inquiry into the deaths of four Philippine Army soldiers who were ambushed in Maguindanao del Sur last March has been sought by Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday.

Estrada, chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, was referring to the March 17 incident in the municipality of Datu Hoffer Ampatuan. The soldiers were in civilian clothes while traveling in a civilian vehicle when they were attacked. They were returning  to their patrol base after purchasing food for Iftar for the Muslim community in their area. Iftar is the meal eaten by Muslims to break their fast after sunset every day during Ramadan.

The ambush along the Tuayan 1 Road resulted in the deaths of two privates, a private first class and a corporal.

“Despite immense government resources being put into comprehensive peace efforts and addressing the root causes of insurgency and violent extremism over the years through a whole-of-nation approach, the scourge threatening security and stability in the area remains,” Estrada said in his Senate Resolution 984. 

The lawmaker said that despite “the impressive accomplishments and successes of military operations” in eliminating networks of terrorist and violent extremist groups across the country, “new groups appear to form, evolve, and emerge” out of the remainders which pose a continuing challenge to national security.”

“In light of the threat of continuation of attacks, the public must be assured that the military establishment and law enforcement authorities are on top of the situation,” he said.

Estrada cited the account of Brigadier General Oriel Pangcog, 601st Brigade Commander, who believes the ambush was carried out by the local terrorist group Daulah Islamiyah (DI) in retaliation to previous military operations where some of their members and leaders were killed or neutralized.—RF, GMA Integrated News