Source: The Daily Tribune
Contrary to claims of President Aquino that the situation in Mindanao will soon return to normal with the Zamboanga City crisis coming to an end, former Philippine Constabulary (PC) chief retired Maj. Gen. Ramon Montano stated that the ongoing crisis had spread over to other areas, resulting in Mindanao being in practically a state of war.
“Mindanao is now in a state of war,” Montano, citing atrocities in North Cotabato on Monday and yesterday in Maguindanao, said.
On Monday, three soldiers, two civilians and four armed men were killed during running gun battle in Midsayap, North Cotabato. One of the slain civilians was beheaded.
On Monday, three soldiers, two civilians and four armed men were killed during running gun battle in Midsayap, North Cotabato. One of the slain civilians was beheaded.
Yesterday, about 100 armed men harassed a Del Monte packing plant in Tulunan, North Cotabato, which is adjacent to Salipada K. Pendatun town, Maguindanao where the attackers came from, that led to sporadic clashes with private security guards and elements of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion (IB).
The military tagged members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in both incidents. BIFF is a breakaway faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which is now talking peace with the government.
Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), said the attack against Del Monte plant could be prompted by rido or clan war.
However, Montano said that the engaged armed men were followers of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairman Nur Misuari.
“We asked for war and they (MNLF forces) gave us war,” he added.
Montano said that the crisis now is not limited in Zamboanga City as evidenced by latest atrocities in various parts of Mindanao.
“War freak generals underestimated Misuari and the Tausug warriors. They always say Misuari’s group is a spent force, but they (MNLF forces) are still there,” Montano added.
During the early part of the Zamboanga City siege, combined elements of the MNLF, BIFF and Abu Sayyaf terrorists based in Basilan also harassed government forces in Lamitan City, apparently in sympathy to MNLF fighters in Zamboanga City.
According to Montano, the “no ceasefire, no negotiation” policy of the government apparently did not work.
Prior to the Zamboanga City siege staged by about 300 followers of Misuari, Montano urged the government to adopt the formula of former President Ramos to just talk with Misuari and settle the issue on the table.
In early August, Misuari declared independence from the Philippine government and established his so-called Bangsamoro Republik in protest of what he alleged as the reneging by the present administration of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA).
Prior to the Zamboanga City siege staged by about 300 followers of Misuari, Montano urged the government to adopt the formula of former President Ramos to just talk with Misuari and settle the issue on the table.
In early August, Misuari declared independence from the Philippine government and established his so-called Bangsamoro Republik in protest of what he alleged as the reneging by the present administration of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA).
Weeks after, Misuari’s followers, led by Ustadz Habier Malik, occupied several barangays in Zamboanga City, apparently to provide “muscle” to Misuari’s declaration.
Relatedly, two road side bombs exploded in Parang, Maguindanao yesterday, wounding two civilians.
Reports showed that the bombs exploded at around 6:30 a.m. along Sitio Pembataan, Barangay Pinantao, wounding Abraham Tiburon and Erlinda Bulanges.
Authorities have yet to identify the perpetrators of the bombing.
The armed attack in Midsayap town North Cotabato had resulted in at least 436 families from five barangays being displaced due to fighting between government forces and members of the BIFF that has already claimed the lives of at least five people.
Presidential deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said a civilian, reportedly a farmer, was also beheaded by the BIFF in Midsayap.
“The Philippine Army has already confirmed that report. I will not yet allude to any particular group, but it was found in the course of the clearing operations, that (the beheading was confirmed). (It is) not only cruel but also inhuman,” Valte said.
Valte reiterated the line of reasoning by President Aquino that given the attacks in Zamboanga and other violence in other places in the country, the government troops and the police could not be expected to secure entirely the lives of the civilians because of the number of the law enforcers and the soldiers.
The last attack was in Tulunan town, a few kilometers from the Midsayap town.
Capt. Antonio Bulao, spokesman of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, said three government soldiers were killed in action during clashes that started before dawn Monday.
Jessie Enid, executive assistant of the provincial governor, said two civilians were also killed.
Casualties among state forces are also rising with another member of the elite Light Reaction Company (LRC) falling during an encounter with members of the MNLF faction of Misuari in Zamboanga City, bringing to 16 the total number of government troops killed in action while more than 100 others wounded since the crisis erupted Sept. 9.
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said that Lt. Francis Damian, of the Army’s elite 3rd LRC and a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 2007, expired at the Ciudad Zamboanga Hospital at around 8:40 a.m.
Damian was the third junior officer who was killed while operating against MNLF forces in the vicinities of barangays Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina, where the followers of Misuari are now holed up.
Last Thursday, Lt. John Kristopher Rama, also of 3rd LRC and a member of PMA Class of 2008, was felled by an MNLF sniper while conducting clearing operations in Barangay Sta. Catalina.
On Saturday, Lt. Florencio Mikael Meneses, of the 3rd Scout Ranger Company, was wounded while on clearing operations. He died two days later also at the Ciudad Zamboanga Hospital.
As of press time yesterday, a total of 16 soldiers had been killed while 159 others were wounded.
On the other hand, the military said that 105 MNLF fighters were killed while 72 others were captured and 45 surrendered.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Officer chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said clearing operations are continuing in barangays Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina.
Nur Misuari, the chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front faction that led the siege on Zamboaga City will not be able to escape .
This was revealed yesterday by Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. He said that government forces are now closing in on Misuari who is believed to be hiding in one of the islands of Sulu.
“We received reliable information that he (Misuari) is hiding in one of the islands in Sulu. The government only wants to ensure that he will not slip away from the country so that he would be made accountable for the Zamboanga siege. I believe the government has an airtight case against him,” Hataman told reporters. The ARMM governor disclosed that Misuari’s top aide Habier Malik attacked Zamboanga City because of the MNLF leader’s promise that the United Nations (UN) will send a peacekeeping force to help them in attaining independence from the country.
“We received reliable information that he (Misuari) is hiding in one of the islands in Sulu. The government only wants to ensure that he will not slip away from the country so that he would be made accountable for the Zamboanga siege. I believe the government has an airtight case against him,” Hataman told reporters. The ARMM governor disclosed that Misuari’s top aide Habier Malik attacked Zamboanga City because of the MNLF leader’s promise that the United Nations (UN) will send a peacekeeping force to help them in attaining independence from the country.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) also predicted the three-week standoff between the government forces and MNLF will end this weekend.
President Aquino has issued direct instructions to Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad to set aside an aggregate amount of P3.89 billion that would be intended for the relief and rehabilitation plans in Zamboanga City.
Aquino earlier declared that his office has still P6 billion contingency funds that the estimated expenses in the damage for Zamboanga communities, burned and destroyed caused by the still continuing armed conflict between government military forces and members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that began Sept. 9.
By Mario J. Mallari, Paul Atienza, Gerry Baldo and Gina peralta-elorde
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