TUGUNAN, BARMM — A deadly armed confrontation erupted in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area on Saturday, September 19, leaving at least four armed men dead and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes as government forces pursued members of an armed group identified in initial reports as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) Bungos faction.
The fighting happened in Sitio Gawang near Barangay Manaulanan and Barangay Balong in Tugunan, one of the municipalities in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area, which consists of areas in Cotabato province that voted to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019.
Arrest operation turns into firefight
According to reports, government forces launched an operation early Saturday after receiving information about the presence of armed men in the area.
The operation involved Army and police units, including personnel from the 40th Infantry Battalion, with support from other military and police formations. The initial mission was reportedly connected to the service of an arrest warrant involving a person facing a carnapping with homicide case.
The military said the confrontation began after the target and companions allegedly opened fire as government forces approached, triggering an exchange of gunfire.
The ensuing pursuit reportedly resulted in the deaths of several armed men.
However, casualty figures have varied among reports. Philstar.com, citing local executives, Moro community leaders, police officials and Army authorities, reported four armed men killed. Another account citing the Army’s 6th Infantry Division reported six armed individuals killed. Authorities had yet to fully reconcile the differing figures at the time of reporting.
Five high-powered firearms recovered
Military authorities also reported recovering five high-powered firearms from the area—identified as four M16 rifles and one Garand rifle.
Officials and residents have associated the armed group with alleged criminal activities in the area, including motorcycle theft, cattle rustling and illegal drug trading. These allegations remain subject to investigation and should not be treated as judicial findings against unidentified individuals.
A Philippine Air Force attack helicopter was also reported to have provided support during the encounter, according to local officials cited by Philstar.com.
More than 1,300 families forced to evacuate
The violence had an immediate impact on nearby communities.
A situation report cited in coverage of the incident said 1,346 families were displaced across three barangays:
- Manaulanan: 789 families
- Balong: 334 families
- Macabual: 223 families
The evacuation followed the intensification of fighting near residential areas. Disaster-response authorities began assessing the needs of displaced residents, including food, drinking water, temporary shelter materials, hygiene supplies and clothing.
As of the reported situation assessment, no civilian casualties had been reported, although authorities continued to evaluate the situation.
Police units were also placed on standby and checkpoints were established along key routes as authorities worked to secure the affected communities.
The wider security picture in Bangsamoro
The Tugunan clash comes amid continuing security challenges in parts of Bangsamoro despite the region’s broader transition from decades of armed conflict toward autonomous governance.
Recent incidents have involved remnants of armed organizations and criminal groups operating in parts of Central Mindanao. In July, for example, soldiers and police were involved in a separate operation in Maguindanao del Norte that resulted in the death of Esmael Abubakar, also known as “Kumander Bungos,” who had been identified by authorities as a BIFF faction leader.
The Philippine Star also reported in July that BIFF remnants were involved in subsequent attacks and clashes in parts of Maguindanao, highlighting continuing concerns over armed-group activity even as many former combatants have surrendered.
At the same time, recent reporting has documented the surrender of former BIFF and Dawlah Islamiya members and the turnover of firearms to authorities, reflecting parallel government efforts to reduce armed-group activity and loose firearms in Central Mindanao.
What happens next?
Authorities are continuing to assess the exact number and identities of those killed, the circumstances surrounding the firefight and the security situation in the affected communities.
For residents of Tugunan, however, the immediate concern is more direct: getting families displaced by the fighting to safety and providing them with basic necessities while security forces remain deployed in the area.
The differing casualty reports also mean that the final death toll should be treated cautiously until the military, police and local authorities release a consolidated account.
