Wednesday, December 05, 2007 MILF's CCCH helping free kidnap victims
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front's Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (MILF-CCCH) is helping in the safe release of the two remaining victims of kidnapping in Maguindanao.
MILF's chief of civil-military operations and designated military spokesman Eid Kabalu said the government's CCCH is now coordinating with the MILF for information that could help in locating the victims and rescuing them from their captors.
"Hindi ko lang alam ang extent, pero may coordination na sila (I just don't know the extent, but there is coordination between the GRP and MILF)," Kabalu said.
Sun.Star Davao also tried to contact MILF-CCCH chair Von Al-haq for his comment, but to no avail.
In a report, MILF Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) chair lawyer Abdul Dataya said the MILF, as matter of policy, would not deal with kidnappers except to free their victims unconditionally.
Dataya said force is considered as a last option, saying the safety of the victims is the first priority.
Kabalu said though that since the AHJAG is presently undertaking reorganization, the CCCH was the one tasked to help solve the crisis.
The government and the MILF task AHJAG "to interdict and isolate kidnap-for-ransom groups and other similar criminal syndicates operating in or near MILF communities". Its mandate has expired last June 21, 2007, but was given another one-year lease of life last November 16, 2007 up to November 16, 2008.
The AHJAG was instrumental in the successful release of kidnap victims in Muslim-dominated areas. (BOT)
