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Sunday, July 22, 2007
Palace orders offensive v. MILF
MANILA -- Malacañang has authorized the Armed Forces to launch “punitive actions” against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces responsible for last week’s killing of 14 Marines, 10 of them were beheaded and mutilated, in Basilan.
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National Security Adviser and acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales said the MILF leadership has until today (Sunday) to surrender their members responsible for the “inhuman, barbaric and uncivilized” attack on the soldiers.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu in a separate interview said they will only abide by what is within the rules provided in the implementing guidelines of the ceasefire agreement forged between the MILF and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines last August 7, 2001.
Kabalu said the AFP demand is not within the ceasefire agreement thus they have no obligation and no plans to abide by it.
"We will abide by the process. If that's not within the process then we will not. And I believe that the ultimatum is not within the peace process," Kabalu said.
Gonzales in a joint press conference with Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon said, “I wish to announce the approval by the National Security Cabinet Group of the plan for imminent police action in Basilan.”
“I have already communicated with the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Cabinet group’s recommendation for the Marines to lead in the hunt for the perpetrators of the bloody killing of the 14 government troopers,” he said.
“We wish to assure everyone that our resolve to pursue the perpetrators of the (killing of the) 14 Marine personnel will be done in accordance with the rule of law and human rights,” Gonzales added.
“The National Government remains committed in upholding the primacy of the peace process (with the secessionists) as it continues to seek justice for those who have been victimized by such irresponsible acts,” said Gonzales.
Esperon said the military establishment has an initial list of the perpetrators.
It was Esperon who gave the one-week timeline, that lapses Sunday, for the MILF to surrender its forces behind the attack.
“Should they fail to turn over the perpetrators then we will go ahead with our punitive police actions against these perpetrators. The operations will be launched in the most appropriate time,” said Esperon.
Esperon said the military has about four Marine battalions, while the MILF has about 280 fighters in Basilan.
The planned “punitive action” is being led by the Marines.
Apart from the Marines, there is one Army brigade presently stationed in Basilan.
He said initial list includes 20 names and some of them have warrants for their arrest.
“I will honor the Sunday deadline. After that, we can take a range of actions that are legally permissible and morally upholdable,” said Esperon.
Asked if the military is anticipating that the campaign, if launched, will escalate into a full blown war with the MILF, Esperon said: “I hope not. The diplomatic community, the MILF knows that we are in fact pursuing punitive police action.”
“This is not to provoke anybody but simply to carry out something that is legal and of course morally acceptable,” Esperon said, adding, however, that they are prepared in other areas if the skirmishes spill over in other MILF areas.
Gonzales said the “whole world understands that the barbarism that happen in Basilan cannot be allowed to just be forgotten. We (government forces) will pursue and we will apprehend those guilty parties.”
“We are asking the MILF, for the sake of peace they must turn over to us the guilty party. If the MILF thinks that they are willing to jeopardize the peace process in our effort to bring justice to its fruition so be it,” said Gonzales.
MILF chief negotiator Mohaguer Iqbal has said the MILF would not be surrendering its men because the incident was a product of a “legitimate encounter” and that it was the Marine soldiers who attacked first.
Iqbal also said if the military would launch the “punitive actions” against them, MILF forces are determined to defend themselves.
Commenting on Iqbal’s pronouncements, Gonzales said: “In the same manner that they say that they are duty bound to defend themselves, we are duty bound to protect the Republic.”
On Iqbal’s contention that under the ceasefire agreement, it is the MILF that should penalize its members if they indeed committed a crime, Gonzales said maintained that the country’s laws should be prevail.
“These people (MILF men) mutilated our soldiers. We have laws to this effect that will address this kind (of act). I would not mind the MILF giving punishments also but as a state they have to answer to our laws, there are no exceptions to this,” he said.
Another MILF official who requested anonymity said the entire command of the Front is put on high alert in view of the impending third all-out war against the MILF that will start in Basilan.
The official the AFP of “ungentlemanly” by exempting the Basilan firefight as outside the ambit of the ceasefire, which he said is a distorted view.
The official said the AFP, as part of this distortion, deliberately described the firefight as “ambush” to elicit public sympathy and hatred for the MILF for treachery.
“Is there an ambush that lasts for more than eight hours?” the official asked. (JMR/Ben O. Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (July 22, 2007 issue)
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