Unidentified gunmen carried out two separate harassment attacks on Philippine Army positions in the Maguindanao provinces on Sunday night, bringing the total to four incidents since the election gun ban took effect on July 16.
In Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur, unidentified men placed an improvised explosive device near a truck armored vehicle of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion. Lt. Col. Ronald Suscano reported no injuries.
Almost simultaneously, about 15 armed men harassed an army detachment in Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte. Soldiers from the 12th Mechanized Company returned fire during a 20-minute exchange. The attackers retreated with no soldiers harmed.
Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara of the 6th Infantry Division linked the attacks to retaliatory actions by lawless elements following successful operations against local terrorists, including the death of Commander Bungos of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. All army personnel have been placed on heightened alert ahead of the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on September 14.