Monday, August 25, 2008 Palace sticks by Arroyo's order on battling MILF
MALACAÑANG is standing by the order of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the military and police to continue pursuing members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) involved in the series of attacks in parts of Central Mindanao and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
Arroyo ordered the pursuit operations until the rebels are neutralized and brought to bars of justice to answer for their crimes, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
This developed as Press Secretary Jesus Dureza called on the MILF leadership led by chairman Al Haj Murad to stand down and to allow the government troops to go after and arrest commanders Ameril Umbra Kato alias Kumander Kato, Abdullah Makapaar alias Kumander Bravo, and Aleem Sulaiman Pangaalian alias Kumander Pangalian, if they would not surrender them.
Ermita and Dureza made the statement in reaction to the call of Murad for the halting of government offensives, warning that it may lead to the collapse of the peace negotiations between the government and the MILF.
Murad added that they are not surrendering their men, and suggests that they raise and discuss the issue, along with the proposed memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD), in the negotiating table if and when the panels meet.
"You cannot prevent them from making that reaction because there's instability right now. And that happened because they were the ones who started the trouble. We cannot stop this or prevent the government from doing that (offensives) because it is the job of the Armed Forces and the police to provide security and protection," Ermita said.
He said the MILF should instead rein in their men and practice good command responsibility by being accountable for their men in the fields and their eventual action.
He said the whole world is aware that there is no justification for the crimes committed by the "recalcitrant" commanders who attacked innocent civilians and burned down houses and government buildings among others, in parts of North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Sarangani.
Dureza said there would be no suspension of government offensives unless the commanders of the MILF's 102nd, 103rd, and 105th command are neutralized and punished in accordance with the laws "for their acts of terrorism against innocent and helpless civilians".
"If Chairman Murad is not willing or capable of bringing in his three MILF commanders to answer for their terrorist acts, then he and his men must stand down as government forces enforce the law. Short of that, there will be no let up in government offensives," he said.
He added that these commanders have been known to cause problems in the past and may continue to cause trouble if and when a final peace agreement is signed between the government and the MILF.
Dureza said if Murad and the rest of the MILF leadership are sincere and wants the derailed talks to continue, they should prove that they do not approve the attacks by surrendering the three commanders or by standing aside and allowing the military and police to enforce the law.
"The inaction of the MILF leadership will be construed as its tacit approval of the criminal acts of its three commanders and will be a clear proof of the MILF leadership's insincerity to pursue the conclusion of the peace talks," he said.
"We want to continue peace negotiations but not at the expense of our laws. We have gone a long way for peace but not at the expense of our innocent civilians who seek vindication for the violence inflicted on them by those lawless MILF groups. Our peace loving citizens expect no less. There is no all out war in Mindanao. This is a waging all-out peace in Mindanao," he added.
Deputy Presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said the MILF should not hide behind the peace talks and use it as a shield for their criminal acts.
Golez said the issue of peace and running after the commanders for their crimes are separate things. (JMR/Sunnex)
