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Friday, May 23, 2003
Over 90 MILF rebels surrender amid raids
ILIGAN CITY -- Six Moro separatist field commanders and 91 of their followers surrendered to the military Thursday, as government troops heightened aerial and artillery raids on rebel group positions in Mindanao.
Elias Api, Second Battalion Commander of the 307th Brigade of the Bangsamore Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) under the notorious Abdullah Macaapar, alias Commander Bravo, led the Moro rebels who surrendered to Vice President Teofisto Guingona and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes during formal ceremonies in Iligan City Thursday.
A day earlier, at least 10 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), including a field commander, were killed while its training camp and factory of ammunition were razed to the ground in fresh offensives by government troops in Maguindanao and Davao del Sur.
The rebel returnees also turned over 82 firearms, including a caliber 60 machinegun and caliber 30 light machinegun, to the government, said Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamko.
Fourth Infantry Division head Maj. Gen. Cristolito Balaoing said he expects more MILF guerillas to surrender soon.
"We have already received several feelers from other MILF leaders who want to surrender along with their group and I hope this will yield results soon," he claimed.
Because of this "continuing surrender of MILF elements," military officials hope the war in the Lanao provinces will soon be over.
Api was quoted as saying in the press statement released by the 4th Infantry Division that "they have lost the cause they were fighting for and that they want to live peaceful and progressive lives with their families."
"We are tired of fighting and the MILF attack on innocent lives in Maigo and Kolambugan and the destruction of school buildings and bridges in Munai are contrary to the Bangsamoro cause," Api added.
Gimmick, trick
But Commander Bravo said in a radio dxIC interview in Iligan that the 97 MILF members were not under his command. "Dili kana among mga tao," he said. (Those were not our men.)
Bravo said the men were just dressed up and given firearms, including high-powered ones, for the military's "drama-drama" or gimmick.
He said the surrender was timed for the scheduled visit of Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Reyes and Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman to Munai, Lanao del Norte.
For Bravo, the turnover ceremony at the National Steel Corporation, Iligan City was a psychological warfare trick of the military but said it would not work.
But Balaoing told Sun.Star this is a "normal defensive reaction" of a man like Commander Bravo.
He said the MILF rebels, particularly those in Bravo's area of responsibility, are now low in resources and supplies. "They are also now scattered and low in morale," he stressed.
Before departing for a state visit to the United States last weekend, Arroyo ordered the military to carry out artillery attacks and air assaults in "embedded terrorist cells" in Mindanao.
The 12,500-strong MILF is being blamed for a spate of bombings and raids that have left about 100 dead since March.
Fighting between the government and the MILF has left more than 60 rebels dead and at least two soldiers wounded, according to the military.
Stop attacks
Emboldened by assurances of support from US President George W. Bush, Arroyo on Thursday again called on the MILF to renounce terrorism if it wanted to return to the negotiating table.
"The path of peace is always open, but I have been very clear about what I want from them. I want them to renounce terrorism; I want them to stop terrorist attacks. I want them to surrender the terrorists among them," Arroyo told Filipino reporters in a news conference in New York, which was broadcast live in Iligan City.
Defense Secretary Reyes, who was in Iligan to oversee the surrender, said the offensives ordered by Arroyo would continue until the government was convinced the MILF had been defeated.
Vice President Guingona, meanwhile, urged the returnees to be sincere in their desire to rejoin the mainstream society.
"I hope you will find jobs for yourselves and your family and help our country," he said during his speech.
The six MILF commanders who surrendered to government confessed they have "lost the cause" of what they are fighting for.
Api admitted to reporters that he took part in the April 24 attack in Maigo, Lanao del Norte, which killed 14 civilians and wounded several others.
He said he joined the MILF in 1985 when his house and other properties as well as the mosque in his barangay were burned down by unidentified men in Inoma, Maigo, Lanao del Norte.
The other commanders presented to Guingona include Mama Cargeopa alias Barman, commanding officer of the 302nd BIAF with 11 of his men; Amer Solay, commanding officer of the 304th Brigade with 15 followers; Ali Balitok alias Ali, commanding officer of the 5th Battalion of the BIAF National Guard Division with 13 men; Rabidra Amad alias Aguila, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the BIAF National Guard Division with 19 men; and Salehuddin Liangsa alias Torapas, commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion of the BIAF National Guard Division with 19 men.).
Torn down
Earlier on Wednesday, meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division, said soldiers showered an MILF camp in Barangay Sultan Base in Boldon, Maguindanao with cannons from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Senga said the MILF's training camp and ammunition factory were torn down.
He added that aside from the Camp Sultan Base, the military destroyed two other MILF training grounds, Mt. Vietnam and Mt. Cara Complex Camps, in Maguindanao province and Lanao del Sur.
On Tuesday, a top MILF leader was reportedly killed in an encounter with Army Scout ranger troops under Task Force Diamond in Maigo, Lanao del Norte.
MILF leaders, however, denied that the slain rebel was one of their top commanders, saying he was just a bodyguard of Bravo.
The military identified the dead rebel as Arimao Solaiman Lucsadato, alias Commander Syria, said to be the assistant division commander of the 5th Field Division of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces based in Munai.
Lucsadato's body was found along with two other unidentified rebels following two hours of fierce gun battle in Barangay Liningding.
Lucsadato and Commander Bravo were allegedly responsible for the attack in Maigo and Kolambogan, Lanao del Norte, last April 24, resulting in the death of 13 civilians and the wounding of 17 others. Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sun.Star Davao/With AFP
(May 23, 2003 issue)
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