MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, (PNA) — The remaining nine teacher hostages used by Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as human shields against government troops have been freed at 1 a.m. Tuesday.
According to Midsayap Mayor Romeo Araña, the nine teachers were abandoned by fleeing BIFF members at fish-landing area at the riverside of Barangay Malingao, Midsayap, North Cotabato
Araña said the nine teachers were among the 13 elementary school teachers in Barangay Malingao trapped when elements of the 40th Infantry Battalion and BIFf forces figured in a running gun battle in the nearby village of Polomoguin, also in Midsayap.
Ruby Hiro, 39; Edna Cortel, 56; Honey Corpuz, 31; Rose Escote, 47; and Hiro’s five-year-old daughter were among those freed by the rebels.
The teachers are now undergoing medical examination at an undisclosed hospital here.
“They were all safe, they were not harmed by the gunmen,” Araña said but added their mobile phones were taken.
North Cotabato Board Member Kelly Antao said the teachers were brought by the gunmen across the Rio Grande de Mindanao from the Midsayap side of the river.
Civilians fetched the teachers from across the river at 1 a.m. when the gunmen said they were free to go.
Colonel Dickson Hermoso, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the rebels, numbering about 100, first clashed with militiamen and soldiers in Barangay Raradangan, Midsayap.
As the rebels fled due to more powerful government forces, they broke into smaller groups, some went to Barangay Malingao while trading bullets with pursuing soldiers.
Rubi Hiro, one of the teachers of Malingao Elementary School, said the rebels entered the school at about 8 a.m. and told the teachers, who allowed students to go home, not to leave but stay inside.
“I noticed they seized the teachers’ cellphones, so I kept my unit, telling the rebels her phone had already been taken by his comrade,” Hiro said, adding that the gunmen later stay outside the school buildings.
“Since I have the cellphone, it was only me who has contacts outside,” she told reporters.
At dusk, the gunmen ordered the 12 teachers and a pupil to board pedicab “because they will bring us to fish-landing area.”
“Suddenly, civilians pulled me and hid me in their house,” Hiro said, explaining how she managed to escape.
As the convoy of “trisikad” was moving toward fish landing area, another teacher asked that she be allowed to answer the call of nature.
“After she urinated, civilians pulled her and hid her too,” Hiro added.
Two more teachers were pulled by civilians after the tire of “trisikad” they were riding was busted.
Hermoso said three soldiers were killed — Pfc. Robert Bale of 40th IB, Pfc. Raymund Villariz and Pfc. Adonis Alejo, 29, both of 7th Infantry Battalion.
Two other soldiers were wounded. Seven BIFF members were killed in the firefight that lasted for about six hours.
Two civilians were wounded. They were identified as Philip Motin, a minor and Saed Sanduyugan, 62, both of Barangay Malingao and were hit by shrapnel from mortar rounds.
Close to about 2,000 families have been displaced in six barangays and are now being attended to by the social welfare office.