Army denounces MILF atrocities
It has been more than a month since the Supreme Court stopped the
signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD),
which is said to have triggered the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-initiated
attacks in the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao del
Norte, and Sarangani.
It was in August 6, 2008 when lawless MILF group under Commanders Kato
occupied some villages in North Cotabato and initiated attacks that
resulted to the death of innocent civilians and soldiers alike,
displaced thousands of residents, and has once again created an
atmosphere of terror and danger.
Lawless MILF groups (LMG) resorted to looting of civilian communities,
burning of houses and killings. These acts were beyond what can be
considered as humane.
For the month of September this year alone, the Philippine Army has
documented MILF-related atrocities ranging from assaults on military
detachments, burning of school and houses to killings.
These include attacks on the Army's 46th Infantry Battalion troops in
Brgy. Bagan, Guindulungan, Maguindanao by undetermined number of
renegade MILF elements and operating troops of the 6th Infantry
Battalion on board two pump boats by undetermined number of LMG in Brgy.
Tumaginting, Kabuntulan that wounded a soldier, both on Sept 1; the 27th
Cafgu Active Auxiliary (CAA) company of the 38th Infantry Battalion by
30 LMG led by a certain Commander Kagui Baddy of the National Guard Base
Command, BIAF, MILF where a soldier was killed and four others were
wounded on Sept 20; harassments on the Ganta detachment of the 6th
Infantry Battalion in Kabuntulan Shariff Kabunsuan by more or less 30
LMG on Sept 3; harassment on the Poypoyan Patrol Base of the 40th
Infantry Battalion in Aleosan, Cotabato by more or less 15 LMG under
unknown leader on Sept 12 and on the elements of the 65th Infantry
Battalion in Madalum, Lanao del Sur by more or less 20 LMG on Sept 16; a
five-hour clash between operating troops of the Army's 62nd Division
Reconnaissance Company with scout platoon and elements of the 54th
Infantry Battalion and more or less 50 LMG on Sept 13; ambushes of two
government soldiers while on their way to town proper from Tubak Patrol
Base to buy food stuffs by more or less seven LMG in Aleosan Cotabato on
Sept 17 as well as on the elements of the 51st Infantry Battalion by
undetermined number of LMG forces in Calanugas, Lanao del Sur resulting
to a 45-minute firefight on Sept 17.
The government troops foiled what could have been a deadly attack when
it disarmed a homemade bomb planted near a government school in North
Cotabato believed to be a handiwork of the MILF. Alert elements of the
AFP also foiled an attempt by rogue MILF rebels to invade a
Christian-dominated town in Sarangani.
On September 21, followers of MILF Commander Umbra Kato burned a day
care center, a health center and 16 other houses in Mamasapano,
Maguindanao. To burn houses of innocent civilians, school and health
center serving poor Muslim communities is a gross form of cruelty. MILF
guerillas are forcing civilians, including teenagers, to join their
ranks, which is a violation to the Geneva Convention and other
International Humanitarian Law. The MILF, in recruiting children and
using them as combatants, deprives these children of their basic rights
to development and protection. Children should be spared from armed
conflict and they should be given the chance to live in a just and
peaceful society.
What's even worst is that the MILF leadership refused to surrender three
of its commanders responsible for the atrocities in Mindanao, to name:
Commanders Umbra Kato, Bravo, and Panglian. The MILF leadership, in
refusing to turn over the three is tolerating their treacherous, grossly
inhumane and unjustified acts. The MILF should have considered that the
atrocities were committed on innocent civilians, Christians and Muslims
alike and this is enough reason for them to punish their commanders or
turn them over to the government. Their refusal to do so is a
manifestation that they tolerated their acts and will continue to do so.
Despite inherent limitations on the part of the military, it will not
waver on its campaign against the lawless MILF group who continue to
create chaos and wreck havoc in Mindanao. #
|
