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Friday, September 28, 2007
Military readies protest against MILF
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Officials of the military's Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) are now readying documents for the filing of a protest against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front MILF), which was believed involved in the latest clashes in Basilan province.
Westmincom information officer Major Eugenio Batara Jr. on Thursday said the protest papers are being readied by the Judge Advocate General's Office (Jago) and would be submitted once completed.
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Batara said the protest would be forwarded to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) Committee on Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) for proper action.
"It will be the GRP CCCH that will forward it to its counterpart in the MILF panel," Batara said.
Two soldiers died while 10 others, including a militiaman, were wounded in separate clashes last Tuesday in the hinterland of Basilan.
Westmincom chief Major General Nelson Allaga said 10 Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed during the clashes based on the report of his field commanders that oversaw the offensive in the province.
Batara said the troops reported having observed during the clashes that the Abu Sayyaf seemed to have reinforcement in the area, as indicated by the large number of enemy forces, which is contrary to the intelligence data that was given to them.
Pintang Absanana Abtas, one of the militiamen wounded during the encounter, recalled that the bandits suddenly had more men during the encounter and they were delivering heavy fire against government forces.
This made Abtas conclude that MILF forces in nearby the area reinforced the beleaguered Abu Sayyaf forces, according to Batara.
One of the wounded soldiers said they held on to their positions during the firefight after noticing the Abu Sayyaf swelled in numbers.
In the past weeks, the MILF had expressed its support to the military campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, offering to leave their camps or lairs to give way to government troops that are running after the bandits in Basilan.
The first clash took place around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday when troops from the Army's Special Forces encountered more or less 30 Abu Sayyaf bandits in the boundary of Tipo-Tipo and the newly created towns of Ungkaya Pukan and Al-Barka.
After about 20 minutes from the first encounter, the group of the Army Scout Rangers clashed with the same group of Abu Sayyaf in the vicinity of Silangkom, Tipo-Tipo.
The second encounter lasted for about 20 minutes. The Abu Sayyaf, reportedly led by Puruji Indama, fled from the scene.
Another encounter erupted on the same day between the pursuing Scout Rangers and an estimated 80 members of the Abu Sayyaf in Barangay Silangkom, Tipo-tipo, Basilan.
The heavy firefight lasted for almost two hours that resulted in the death of two soldiers and the wounding of 10 others, including a militiaman.
Batara said the Abu Sayyaf suffered 10 killed and several wounded, as reported by the troops and further confirmed by reliable intelligence sources.
Allaga pinned wounded personnel medals on the injured soldiers who were admitted to the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City.
Allaga, who visited the wounded troops, also gave grocery items to the soldiers. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (September 28, 2007 issue)
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