Friday, August 29, 2008 Piñol wants MILF in terror list By Malu Cadelina Manar Correspondent
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Because of the perceived danger it poses to the security of North Cotabato and in other areas in Mindanao, Vice Governor Manny Pinol filed a resolution Thursday urging the National Government to declare the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a terrorist organization.
Pinol, chair of the Cotabato provincial council, said the MILF violated Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act when its fighters attacked at least six towns in North Cotabato.
"The MILF rebels razed down houses, killed innocent civilians, and plundered the farm animals and other belongings of the villagers. Such were clear acts of terrorism," Pinol stressed during the special session of the Provincial Board (PB) held Thursday at the provincial capitol here.
Under section 3 of RA 9372, a person can be considered a terrorist if he commits an act punishable under of the provisions of the Revised Penal Code, including piracy, rebellion or insurrection, murder, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and crimes involving destruction, "thus, sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extra-ordinary fear and panic among the populace."
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Management (CIDM) in Central Mindanao led on August 19 the filing of at least 75 criminal complaints against renegade MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato and his men.
The complaints, according to Superintendent Marcelo Pintac of the CIDM-Central Mindanao, were filed at the office of Kidapawan City Prosecutor Al Calica who heads the Department of Justice (DOJ) Special Task Force on Anti-Terrorism.
Kato and his men were slapped with criminal complaints, 30 for arson; seven for murder; two for kidnapping; and the rest for robbery in band.
Calica, in a radio interview, said his team had started preliminary investigations on the complaints and anytime this week they will resolve whether there would be probable cause to submit these to the court for the issuance of warrants of arrests.
"By doing these criminal acts, they reduced themselves to being terrorists," said Pinol.
