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Sunday, March 09, 2003
Lanao Norte towns in MILF target list: military
THE military revealed that they have information indicating plans by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to attack four towns in Lanao del Norte.
401st Infantry Battalion commanding officer Col. Ernesto Boac said the towns identified were Kauswagan, Maigo, Bacolod and Kolambugan.
"But we are still confirming this but we are anticipating additional troops but we can't tell you when," he said in a text message last night.
This came even as MILF leaders will be charged with murder over the group's alleged role in this week's deadly Davao airport blast, President Arroyo said Friday.
Earlier four helpless civilians were massacred and one was wounded while seven military soldiers were reportedly captured by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in separate incidences all in Lanao del Norte Friday.
4th Infantry Division spokesperson Major Johnny Macanas said there were three separate encounters in Lanao del Norte Friday, which were all initiated by the MILF.
"This is really getting too much...they have brutally killed civilians," he told said.
He added that in all three attacks it was the MILF who took the first shots and that the military were only forced to defend themselves.
Macanas recounted that the first attack happened around 6:25 a.m. at when an estimated 50 MILF rebels under Commander Bravo fired at a Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment located at Barangay Baulan, Tubod of Lanao del Norte province.
Massacre
He said a three-hour firefight ensued but when the rebels saw the reinforcement team they retreated taking with them four nearby residents as "human shields".
But after some considerable distance, the civilians one of whom was a five year old kid were all shot dead.
"Though we don't have any report as to MILFs casualty we believe there were some who were really wounded as they really killed the civilians they took with them...tungod siguro to sa ilang kapungot (perhaps they were really that angry)," Macanas said.
But an ABS-CBN wires report placed the death toll to seven civilians.
Macanas said those who died include Victorino Borras, Willy Daumilas, Russel Daumilas and Jose Villegas while Rosino Bungkat was left wounded outside Barangay Buluan.
The massacre occurred just about another attack at around 6:45 a.m. was launched by 15 MILF rebels against the 26th Infantry Battalion's detachment at a small village Tingin-tingin, Barangay Lapayan, Kauswagan of Lanao del Norte province. There was no casualty reported as of presstime lastnight.
Just barely two hours later about 8:30 a.m., 200 MILF rebels reportedly led by Commander Bravo were spotted at a small village in Abaga, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte.
This was just a short distance from the National Transmission Corporation's Steel Tower No. 5, which was bombed 11:22 p.m. last Feb. 26 causing a Mindawide blackout.
Macanas said six CAFGUs and a soldier led by Corporal Umpoy were just making their regular patrol to the NTC towers when they saw Bravo's group.
Just missing
There was an exchange of bullets, which was noticed by the 58th IB who immediately went over to site of the incident and pursued the MILFs.
But Umboy's group was no longer around nor were their bodies.
Later, Commander Bravo confirmed to reporters that his forces captured seven soldiers in fighting near Balo-i town yesterday.
Boac confirmed that seven soldiers were missing after an encounter with the MILF in Lanao del Norte but he would not give further details.
Macanas for his part said the soldiers are just missing.
"Naa ra siguro na sila diha nagtago-tago naghulat nalang kanusa mogawas (Perhaps they are just there hiding and just waiting for the right moment to come out)," he said.
The MILF, the largest Muslim separatist group, has also been blamed for a deadly bomb blast outside the airport of the main southern city of Davao on Tuesday that claimed 21 lives.
Investigators have said a MILF guerrilla carrying explosives in a backpack triggered the Davao International Airport (DIA) bombing Tuesday which left 21 people dead and more than 150 others injured.
The rebel was among the dead.
"The investigation has come up with the result that the person carrying the knapsack containing the bomb was a member of the MILF," Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye said over local radio.
"Because of this identification, as a result, we are filing murder charges against certain leaders of the MILF," he said.
Rodrigo Duterte, mayor of Davao, proposed Thursday that the government arrest and file murder charges against MILF chairman Salamat Hashim, military chief Ibrahim Murad, vice-chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar and group spokesman Eid Kabalu. LJA with AFP
(March 8, 2003 issue)
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