|
Monday, January 08, 2007
2 Moro rebel leaders to resist arrest
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Two Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commanders tagged as possibly behind the explosion in Cotabato City last Friday denied the accusation and vowed to fight anyone who would attempt to arrest them.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said he talked with MILF commander Said Pakiladato and his deputy, Ustadz Hawon, of the 105th MILF Base Command over the phone and the two vehemently denied involvement in the bombing incident.
Sun.Star Network Online's 12th Asean Summit Watch
Police Senior Inspector Samson Obatay of the Cotabato City Police Office accused the two MILF commanders of having a hand in the latest explosion that injured three civilians.
Kabalu said the two are active members of the MILF and are not afraid to protect themselves from unjust accusations.
"They are not afraid of the military, they will fight them," Kabalu narrated.
The rebel spokesman said this recent accusation against their members could be tainted with politics.
He said the explosion could be a warm up for the elections.
Pakiladato once ran for mayor in a town in Maguindanao but lost. The winning mayor was later killed and Pakiladato was the one blamed, but the charge was however not proven.
Obatay said that based on intelligence information, Pakiladato and Hawon were responsible for the explosion that occurred outside a refreshment parlor along the busy Makakua Street here around 11 a.m. Friday.
Obatay said Pakiladato and Hawon carried out the attack in the name of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).
He said the two were also involved in previous bombings, including those in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat and Makilala, North Cotabato.
Pakiladato was also tagged as the mastermind in the 2003 explosion that killed Datu Piang Mayor Saudi Ampatuan.
Kabalu urged authorities to investigate further before implicating any MILF leader in the bombings because doing so without basis could further endanger the peace process. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (January 8, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Five children left in locked shanty die in fire