As far as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is concerned, the incident at Pigcawayan town in North Cotabato where Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) attacked a school had been "resolved with no reports of casualties".
Over 500 people from three villages in the town were forced to flee their homes to avoid being caught in the crossfire between troops and militants, GMA News quoted a police spokesman as saying.
BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama said their group was behind the early morning attack on Wednesday that led to fierce gun battles between the rebel group and security forces.
Members of the BIFF were engaged in a gunbattle with the military, Chief Inspector Realan Mamon, the police chief at Pigcawayan, said in a radio interview.
Mashod Hadji Ibrahim Salik, a volunteer of the local Ceasefire Watch, said his group has received reports that the attackers had killed eight civilians and burned down the school before withdrawing but this information could not be confirmed.
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Government troops pursued the fleeing BIFF fighters.
In a media briefing at around 11:30 a.m., Padilla said the BIFF "have withdrawn from the area".
The group is separate from the Islamic State-allied militants who have been fighting government forces for nearly a month in Marawi City, more than 80 kilometres away from Pigcawayan. "They have tried to attack a couple of times and all have been thwarted".
Philippine troops, backed by airstrikes and artillery, launched an offensive to wrest back control of several villages and the business district. At least 258 bandits, 65 soldiers and policemen and 26 civilians have been killed in the Marawi fighting. President Rodrigo Duterte, despite having an antagonistic stance toward Washington, has acknowledged the United States assistance is helping save lives. The attack has sparked fears that the Islamic State group, while losing territory in Syria and Iraq, may be gaining a foothold in Southeast Asia by supporting local militants with money, training and weapons.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has warned of more attacks because of the inroads of Islamic State (IS) into the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
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