Monday, August 18, 2008 MILF denies placing landmines in N. Cotabato
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) once again denied accusations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) they planted landmines in some villages in North Cotabato where series of fierce fighting took place since July 1.
Sammy Al-Mansoor, chief of staff of the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) was quoted as saying they are following, aside from its Military Code of Conduct that is laden with rules of engagement in Islam, the Geneva Conventions especially Protocol I and II.
Al-Mansoor said the MILF signed a "Deed of Commitment" with the Geneva Call (GC), in tandem with the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL), on the ban of victim's initiated anti-personnel landmines.
The GC is an international non-government organization (NGO), which engages non-state actors, like the MILF and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), on the non-proliferation of anti-personnel landmines.
AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Cardozo Luna earlier said the presence of landmines in several barangays of North Cotabato that were once occupied by the MILF rebels pose a great threat to the civilians and government soldiers.
"That is why we are not allowing civilians to go back yet to their barangays. It is very dangerous. The MILF rebels have planted the villages with landmines," Luna said. (BOT)
