Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Rebels attack abandoned Army outpost in Aleosan By Malu Cadelina Manar Correspondent
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Tension ran high again in North Cotabato when suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked a military outpost in an interior village in Aleosan town Monday night.
Aleosan Mayor Loreto Cabaya said over Catholic-run dxMS that the rebels used rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in raking a detachment, which they thought was still manned by Army soldiers.
The soldiers, however, have already abandoned the outpost after the fighting last week.
The soldiers were repositioned to an adjacent village believed to have been occupied by the MILF, reports said.
According to Cabaya, residents of Barangay Dunguan panicked as they heard very loud gunshots and explosions.
Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, head of the Task Force Palma, confirmed the attack allegedly led by men under MILF Commander Amelil Umbra Kato of the 105th Base Command of Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces -- armed wing of MILF.
Task Force Palma is a group organized last week to secure towns in North Cotabato that were subjected to series of MILF attacks.
Meanwhile, Private First Class Jay Ovalo of the 602nd Brigade was hit on both legs when he stepped on a landmine around 10 a.m. Tuesday while he and his companions were conducting patrol operations in Barangay Dunguan.
He was rushed to the 6th ID hospital in Camp Siongco headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabungsuan.
The recent attacks, according to Army Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division, had prevented evacuees from returning home.
"Many of the evacuees are still reluctant to return homes in barangays Dualing and Dunguan, both in Aleosan, for fear of getting caught in the crossfire," said Ando.
