Sunday, February 04, 2007 Task Force North Cotabato formed v. terrorism By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines recently created Task Force North Cotabato to address the growing terrorism in the Midsayap and Makilala areas of the said province.
Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lieutenant General Rodolfo Obaniana ordered for the creation of the group in the wake of the attack by armed group at the provincial jail in Kidapawan City Friday morning.
The Task Force North Cotabato will be under the Army's 6th Infantry Division and will be led by Army's 602nd Brigade chief Colonel Pete Soria.
The said task force is patterned after Task Force Davao here in Davao City that was created after the twin bombings in the city several years ago. It will be composed of two companies from the Philippine Army and a platoon from the Philippine National Police.
Governor Emmanuel Piñol welcomed the creation of Task Force North Cotabato, saying it would help in the fight against terrorism in his province -- one of the "favorite targets" of the terrorists.
Kidapawan, Kabacan, and Makilala have been terrorized several times in the past while the town of Midsayap has recently been the site of the latest clash between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Friday's jailbreak meanwhile was suspected to be the handiwork of the MILF Special Operations Group.
But, the MILF already denied this saying they have no interests in the three suspected bombers that were freed during the raid.
A total of 49 inmates escaped during the raid.
Among the high-profile inmates released by the raiders were Kair Mundos, Datu Ali Sultan, and Tukan Guindo. The three were accused of conducting bombings in the province few years back.
Mundos is said to be the main objective of the raiders as he was readily given a firearm by the attackers.
Mundos and the raiders immediately fled towards M'lang after the incident.
Authorities are still conducting hot pursuit operations as of Saturday.
Piñol earlier blamed the MILF-Special Operations Group for the jail raid.
He already ordered authorities to kill the raiders if they resist arrest.
"They are better dead than a menace to our communities," Piñol was quoted as saying.
He already offered a P20,000 reward for each of the escapees that will be recovered.
