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Monday, January 29, 2007
Military, Muslim group trade charges over clash
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- After trading bombs and bullets in Midsayap, North Cotabato over the weekend, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are now trading charges as to who really started the clash last Thursday.
Nevertheless, representatives of the two groups met Sunday in an effort to halt the fighting, officials said.
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The separatist group MILF accused members of the Civilian Volunteers Organizations (CVOs), also known as Bantay Bayan, for attacking MILF forces in Barangay Rangeban last January 25.
As a result, three militiamen were allegedly killed in action and several others were wounded.
The military, meanwhile, said it was the Muslim militants who first attacked pro-government militiamen and their families while they were harvesting rice in a village.
Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman for the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said the military first responded with a "peacekeeping force" but was prompted to retaliate after the massing of 200 rebels who fired mortars at soldiers.
"The soldiers came in because there were already threats to life and property," Ando said.
Ground and air attacks on rebel positions had raged for two days in Midsayap town in Cotabato province before a government-rebel committee intervened and eased the fighting on Saturday, presidential peace talks adviser Jesus Dureza said.
Ando said at least three MILF guerrillas and a pro-government militiaman have died in the clashes, which prompted Sunday's meeting between government officials and MILF leaders.
The latest round of fighting, which comes despite a 2003 ceasefire, was touched off by a land feud between MILF members and Christian settlers in three Midsayap villages, rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said.
He said the MILF forces in Barangay Rangeban are native inhabitants of the area.
Last Thursday's clash, according to the MILF, was started when elements of Bantay Bayan fired indiscriminately towards rebel group members who were on their way back to Rangaben after attending a peace advocacy in Dungguan, Aleosan, Cotabato two weeks ago.
The Bangsamoro native inhabitants in the area accused the settlers of "systematically grabbing their ancestral lands" while the settlers contend they legally acquired the lands.
Iqbal said he was disappointed by the offensive action of the military, saying that instead of trying to make peace between the two warring groups, government forces instead retaliated against the MILF.
Army commanders had sided with the Christian settlers, triggering the fighting, he said. Ando denied Iqbal's allegation, saying troops intervened to settle the conflict but were attacked by the guerrillas, prompting them to retaliate.
The present situation in the area remains volatile and the military has deployed hundreds of troops. Burst of fires are still being reported, prompting hundreds of civilians to flee to safer grounds in nearby villages.
The MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) clarified there was no prior notice given by its counterpart in the government regarding deployment of military troops in the area. The prior notice is a critical element of the effective truce agreement between the two parties, particularly to avoid confrontational situation.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they will file a formal protest before the CCCH over the recent incident.
Kabalu said the "indiscriminate bombings by the military" are uncalled for.
Reports say that bombs were dropped by Air Force OV-10 bombers on the villages of Nabalawag, Bujang, Rangeban, Udsudan, Sambulawan and Mudseng in Midsayap.
Kabalu said the bombers were backed up by helicopter gunships.
Military authorities on the other hand are also filing a formal complaint against the MILF for raiding the villages.
This latest incident could deal a blow to the resumption of peace talks between the government and the MILF, which collapsed last year after the parties failed to resolve the issue of ancestral domain. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex/With AP)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (January 29, 2007 issue)
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