|
Saturday, February 15, 2003
Pikit offensive over in 2 days: Reyes
DAVAO CITY -- Government is confident of taking full control of the 200-hectare Bulliok complex of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reportedly occupied by separatists rebels and suspected members of the lawless Pentagon group over the weekend.
Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said the war that displaced thousands of residents from the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat will be over in two days.
Reyes visited Pikit, Friday and led the flag raising ceremony in Kabalasan Complex in Pikit, North Cotabato, a stronghold base of the MILF taken over by the military Thursday.
Ground commanders said troopers are strategically positioned inside portions of the Bulliok complex in preparation for the military take over.
Reyes said President Arroyo ordered the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in looking after the welfare of the thousands of families displaced brought about by the military offensive in the Rajah Mudah complex of the MILF in Pikit early this week.
Reyes ordered the Army Engineering to set up sanitary and water facilities
in the evacuation centers.
He also told military doctors and nurses to look into the health of the evacuees who are mostly women and children.
In Thursday, the Provincial Board of North Cotabato also declared the entire province under the state of calamity due to the El Niņo phenomenon and the man-made calamity brought about by the ongoing skirmishes between the Army and the MILF.
Kabalasan flag raising
FOR the first time in 30 years, the Philippine flag was hoisted Friday in the area once believed to be a stronghold of the MILF.
Col. Carduzo Luna, commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, said his men were able to take control of the Kabasalan area in Pikit a few days ago.
He said the area is much more strategic than the Bulliok area in Pikit since no soldier has ever set foot in Kabasalan until few days ago.
In a ceremony, Reyes led the soldiers along with North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piņol and other local officials in hoisting the flag over Kabasalan.
Reyes said the flag-raising symbolizes that the area is now under the control of the government and that government projects will start pouring into the area.
Luna said two of his men were wounded when they overran Kabasalan.
He said MILF commander Solaiman Ishmael alias Kumander Abu Hashim led the MILF resistance group which later withdrew after they were overpowered by the combined elements of the Philippine Army and the Marines.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu confirmed that rebel forces had pulled out of the village of Kabasalan, and that other units were falling back toward Tulunan and Lambayong towns to the southeast.
Government troops believe MILF chairman Hashim Salamat was in the area with his fighters, military spokesman Colonel Essel Soriano said.
He would be a "high-value target," he added.
Though armed encounters between the government soldiers and the MILF and other lawless elements continue they have however drastically reduced.
On Thursday night, an encounter happened in Bulliok, Pikit after about two battalions of soldiers entered the area.
Offensive not for MILF
Malacaņang Friday warned members of the MILF to refrain from blocking the forces of the government who are pursuing lawless elements and reclaiming the Bulliok Complex in North Cotabato.
President Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye made the statement as he reiterated that the offensives are not aimed at the MILF but criminals like the Pentagon Gang that has sought refuge near the Muslim group's "territory".
"We're going after the bandits but the MILF should not stand in the way because it is the duty of the troops to really go after the lawless elements," he said.
"The order of the President is not to go after the MILF, the order of the President - if you look at the order itself - states that the go-signal is given to take Bulliok and environs which is a know lair of the Pentagon gang," he added.
Reyes corroborated Malacaņang's clarification in saying that they are not specifically running after the MILF contrary to enemies' claim.
He said the military operation in the area is mainly because of the reported presence of lawless and criminal elements hiding in the Rajah Muda complex, a known MILF stronghold.
"We are targetting criminals, lawless elements, bandits, kidnappers, bombers. If these elements happen to be MILF then we attack them. They cannot hide and say they are MILF thus they cannot be assaulted," he added.
He said that it has long been a practice of these elements to hide under the MILF guise whenever the authorities start running after them.
"When it's convenient for them they are MILF and when the MILF wants to disown them they are called the Pentagon," he said.
Reyes said its time for the government to strictly enforce law and order in the area adding that nobody should be exempted from the rule of law.
"We have the rule of law and if you violate the law you cannot hide behind the ceasefire and say you cannot be arrested. You cannot have peace unless the people observe the rule of law," he said.
"This is something we have to do. It's like wanting an omelet. If you want to have an omelet you have to break the eggs. You cannot have omelet without breaking eggs," he added.
Reyes, however, clarified that the government is not closing doors for a peace negotiation. He said the MILF are always welcome for a peaceful negotiation but advised them to be sincere in their dealings with the government.
"We are always open to peace talks but they have to show a little sincerity," he said.
Peace efforts
On the other hand, Malacaņang belied the claim of MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar the order was an "all-out-war" against them similar to the offensives taken by the AFP when then president Joseph Estrada was still in power.
Bunye said they regret the loss of lives and property "but things just have to be done. Police action has to be taken against lawless elements if we want peace and order to really reign in our country."
He said offensives would continue until the Pentagon Gang and other criminals hiding in the area are neutralized.
But Bunye said the government is intent on seeking peace with the MILF and this is the reason why communication lines had remained open.
"The President has given the order to continue the peace efforts and as a matter of fact, the President said she's looking at the time frame of six months within which to wrap things up," he said.
He said Arroyo is now reviewing the draft final peace agreement with the MILF which would be submitted to the them upon approval of the President. He added that it is likely to be approved soon
MILF military commander Muhammad Murad said that "the solution is to talk, but we can't talk if the atmosphere is not conducive."
"The priority is disengagement of forces" before both sides can meet to discuss defusing the tensions, Murad said on local television.
The MILF attacked more villages elsewhere on Mindanao island early Friday to relieve pressure on the Buliok complex, killing three civilians and wounding a pro-government militiaman near the town of Kauswagan, military intelligence officials said.
Casualties
A government tally said 175 people have been killed, including 161 guerrillas and associated armed groups, eight soldiers and militiamen, and seven civilians. Some 5,000 soldiers were thrown into the campaign.
Only 43 guerilla corpses had been found, but the death toll made the hostilities the most serious flare-up of the 25-year-old MILF rebellion since 2000, when the military seized more than 40 MILF camps.
More than 41,000 people have fled their homes due to the fighting this week, relief workers said. At least three children died of illnesses in evacuation camps. (Ben Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao/ Lizanilla Amarga of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro and She Caguimbal-Torres of Sunnex Luzon) |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Capitol awash with cash: P797M surplus