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Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Moro rebels protest raps in Makilala blast
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is raising a howl over the inclusion of their members in the criminal complaint in the Makilala blast few months ago.
In their official website, www.luwaran.com, a member of the MILF negotiating team who requested anonymity, said they will file a protest before the government peace panel over the inclusion of 23 MILF members in the charged sheet.
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"This is ridiculous and uncalled for act of a partner in peace-making in Mindanao," the MILF official said.
MILF chair Al Haj Murad was originally included in the list of respondents but was later deleted after the MILF protested and threatened to pull out of the talks if his name is not stricken off the document.
The government filed the case based on the alleged testimony of a certain Ambas Tukan, a 24-year-old guerrilla of 13 years, who witnessed his brothers plan and successfully carry out the bomb attacks in Makilala, North Cotabato that killed six and injured over 30 people on October 10 last year.
According to Tukan's affidavit, Commander Kule Mamagong planned and supervised the bombings. The initial meeting was held in Camp Usman in Arakan Valley around the first week of October and attended by the Indonesian and Pakistani trainers.
Mamagong reportedly told the group that the operation, upon the orders of the MILF Central Committee through Murad, was to support Abu Sayyaf brothers and JI bomb experts Dulmatin and Omar Patek who were being hunted in Sulu.
Tukan said Patek directly called Mamagong and another MILF commander, Abdulbasit Usman.
The MILF denied that Usman is a bonafide member of their group. (Sun.Star Davao)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (January 2, 2007 issue)
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