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Sunday, July 30, 2006
Maguindanao clashes end
By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE armed fighting in Maguindanao between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and paramilitary groups last Thursday has ended.
According to MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu, the clashing forces of MILF Kumander Azmie and the group of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) have stopped fighting as of Friday.
"Wala nang fighting. Apparently na-diffuse yung grupo," Kabalu said Saturday.
Kabalu earlier said that the militia started the fight when its members attacked a group of MILF soldiers in the village of Balanakan. The fighting has spread to the neighboring village of Liong, Datu Piang.
This latest clash is said to be still related to the attack against Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan last month that resulted to the death of his nephew and some friends in Shariff Aguak.
Ampatuan blamed the MILF for the blast, which killed five people, including a nephew and injured a number of others.
The police and military authorities accused the MILF of masterminding the assassination attempt and ordered the arrest of Jamil Ombra, commander of the 105th Base Command in Camp Omar, and his deputy, Sajid Pakiladato.
The MILF denied the accusation and refused to surrender the two. That angered the militia, which went on a warpath. In the fighting that erupted in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, dozens of fighters were killed and wounded on both sides.
Last July 10, a formal truce agreement between MILF combatants and government paramilitary forces under Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan was signed.
Dubbed "GRP-MILF Joint CCCH Agreement to End the Hostilities and Normalize the Situation in the Affected Areas of Maguindanao", the Agreement provides, among other matters, for the following:
1) The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shall station Security Forces less Charlie Coy of the 64th Infantry Battalion along the AFP line particularly at Kuloy, Lower Meta Bridge, Lower Meta Dryer and Pulang Lupa Junction;
2) The Joint Monitoring and Assistance Team (JMAT) shall be reactivated and its Outpost reestablished at the same location in Barangay Tapikan, Shariff Aguak;
3) The personnel of the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Posts (JMCP) in Kitango and Gawang shall be reassigned at the Monitoring Line;
4) There shall be two observation posts for the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Elements (JMCE) to be stationed along the Phase Line;
5) Only actual residents of the Phase 1 and 2 Areas shall be allowed to stay therein. All MILF forces who are actual residents therein shall be allowed to keep their firearms thereat but shall not be allowed to display them publicly;
6) The overall control and operation shall be under the supervision of the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the MILF, and closely monitored by the IMT.
The Agreement also provided that the AFP Security Forces, JCMPs personnel, JCMEs and JMAT shall closely monitor and regulate the movements of the elements of the CVOs and 105th Base Command, BIAF-MILF in their respective areas so as not to jeopardize the intent and purposes of this Agreement as well as to secure peace and order and prevent occurrence of similar hostilities in the province of Maguindanao.
Aside from Ampatuan, Al-Haq, and Santos, the document was also signed by Major General Rodolfo Obiniana, commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, and IMT chief of mission Major General Dato' Pahlawan Soheimi bin Abbas.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (July 30, 2006 issue)
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