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Saturday, July 28, 2007
Arroyo halts offensive against Marines' killers
By Bong Garcia and Cheng Ordoņez
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered on Friday the momentary suspension of military operations against those who killed and beheaded Marine soldiers in Basilan province until after an investigation on the incident.
Arroyo issued the suspension order during a command conference Friday at Camp Don Basilio Navarro in Zamboanga City in her first ever out-of-town trip after her State of the Nation Address last Monday.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the suspension order would lapse by Monday, when the three-day investigation into the killing of Marine soldiers by a fact-finding body composed of MILF and government representatives shall have been completed.
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) officials earlier admitted it was their group's forces that clashed with the Marines but denied they beheaded 10 of the 14 soldiers killed during the incident.
The probe team from the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) arrived in Basilan Friday to investigate the July 10 clash in the town of Al-Barka.
Fourteen marines were killed, 10 of them were beheaded, in the clash. Government soldiers were engaged in rescue efforts for Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi when ambushed by MILF rebels.
The military claimed the rebels were backed by Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Thousands of military troops, including 65 Presidential Security Group personnel, have been deployed in Basilan to help in "selective attacks" on those behind the death of the Marines.
The conference also explained the role of the police, who are tasked to arrest the perpetrators after the three-day investigation.
Basilan Police Director Sadick Macapantar said charges of multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder were already filed Thursday against 16 identified suspects and several John Does before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office.
Macapantar said many of the 16 respondents were identified with the MILF group while the rest were said to be Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Also on Friday, Arroyo ordered a relentless offensive against the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu provinces.
The President issued the order during the command conference she presided over in Camp Don Basilio Navarro. Top military and police officials attended the activity.
Esperon told reporters during a press conference in the city that the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf would cover areas in Mindanao where the bandits are said to be seeking refuge.
He repeated Arroyo's directive during the conference, adding there will be no punitive actions against the MILF members who participated in the killing of Marine troopers in Basilan pending the results of the investigation.
At the same time, Arroyo also ordered the immediate procurement of mortar tubes and ammunitions to be used in the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf bandits. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (July 28, 2007 issue)
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