Government forces hoisted the national flag at the site following the attack. Cabunoc said it was the first time that soldiers had entered the remote marshy hideout.

“Just in time for Independence Day (June 12), we hoisted the Philippine flag in that part of the Liguasan marsh. It was the first time that soldiers were able to enter the area. No government forces have ever been there until today,” said Cabunoc, noting that the remoteness of the area which makes it a favorite hiding place even notorious bandits and criminals.

Cabunoc added the operations, which continued until Monday, showed the military “can each the enemy anywhere they are.”

“We have won the support of the people. Even among the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the general populace we have informants because they don’t want to be associated with these extremist groups,” he said.

Five more BIFF gunmen were killed in separate encounters with soldiers on Monday night.

Capt. Arvin Encinas, 6ID public affairs officer, said the militants staged retaliatory attacks by harassing army detachments and firing at a village in a different area of Maguindanao. One civilian died in the BIFF attacks.

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