MAMAMASAPANO, Maguindanao (MindaNews / 17 Sept) – A spokesman of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) involved in the killing of 44 elite police troops has confirmed they killed three Caucasian-looking warriors in the cornfields of Sitio Tukanalipao during the January 25 bloody encounter with Special Action Force (SAF) troopers.
As this developed, the group Suara Bangsamoro urged the government and civil society organizations to investigate further the Mamasapano clash, saying it will closely look “into the alleged direct involvement of the United States in military operations in the country.”
BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama said over the phone Wednesday that based on their assessment, they are convinced they killed at least three foreign fighters.
“Based on our analysis and assessment after watching closely the fallen enemies, we are assured 100 percent they are Americans. They did not have the usual Filipino build, they were tall, blue eyed, long nose, tall Caucasian-looking men,” he said.
Dozens of BIFF fighters were among who those who traded bullets and mortar fires against the operating troops of SAF. They are the armed local dwellers in the area near the battlefield in Sitio Pimbalkan where most wanted Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bir Hir alyas Marwan was killed inside his hut.
BIFF men were among those who seized the firearms of fallen commandos after the gun battle where they pinned down the police operatives.
Meanwhile, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division based in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, where most of the slain commandos were brought, has assured there was no Caucasian-looking victims brought to their morgue
Suara Bangsamoro spokesperson Jerome Succor Aba said “the only way to clear the issue is to conduct another investigation on the Mamasapano clash.”
“The video of a Caucasian casualty in Mamasapano in the Jan. 25 clash where the SAF 44 members were killed coincides with the results of our previous investigation,” he said in a statement.
News reports the past days mentioned of a white man shown in a video clip as among the casualties in the Mamasapano clash.
“The evidence we gathered from witnesses from the village of Tukalanipao in Mamasapano and the video released in the internet is enough to prompt another investigation on the issue,” Aba said.
“Suara Bangsamoro during the People’s Fact-Finding mission found out that one American soldier was involved in the fierce battle between the moro armed groups and members of the Special Action Force – Philippine National Police (SAF-PNP),” the group said.
It added that the results of the new investigation “could provide us new information about the violation committed by the US on our national patrimony and sovereignty.”