Thursday, August 21, 2008
MILF rejects government's demand (4:10 p.m.)
ILIGAN CITY -- A Muslim rebel organization rejected demands by the Philippine government Thursday for the surrender of two renegade commanders blamed for attacks that killed dozens of people, setting the stage for a possible escalation in fighting.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) should hand over Abdullah Macapaar, also known as Bravo, and Ameril Umbra Kato.
Bravo allegedly led Monday's raid on five towns that left 37 people shot or hacked to death. Kato led the occupation of predominantly Christian villages in the south last week.
In a radio interview, Dureza said the government cannot sign a peace agreement with "an organization that doesn't have control over its commanders."
"We should expect him to surrender and bring to government the two commanders who are clearly responsible for these acts," Dureza said, referring to front Chairman Murad Ebrahim. "Nothing short of that is acceptable to government," Dureza told DZMM radio.
But Mohagher Iqbal, the chief rebel peace negotiator, refused. "We are a revolutionary organization. We will never turn over our men to them. We have our own internal justice (system)," he told reporters by telephone.
Army Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna, who is helping supervise the operation to hunt down the two commanders, said up to 6,000 soldiers and police were involved in an offensive against an estimated 3,000-strong rebel force operating in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato provinces in the southern Philippines.
He said the Army wanted to "solve the problem as soon as possible and ease the agony of the people."
At a military camp in Iligan City, an industrial and commercial hub and capital of Lanao del Norte, air force helicopters carrying soldiers were seen taking off and landing one after the other on a grassy clearing surrounded by coconut trees.
Army trucks rumbled out carrying troops. Inside a command center, young officers worked on laptop computers as commanders spoke with field officers by phone.
Earlier in the day, military officials paraded 31 rebels allegedly belonging to Bravo's unit who surrendered after refusing orders to kill civilians. Their leader, Alvin Cuntu, described Monday's attacks as a "brutal act against innocent civilians."
Iligan Mayor Lawrence Cruz called their surrender a "very brave act."
Luna warned other rebels "who want to continue their murderous rampage - we will be there, we will run after you."
Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said they were checking if those who surrendered were "authentic" guerrillas.
Just weeks ago, a peace deal to end the decades-long insurgency in the troubled south had seemed within reach after government and rebel negotiators initialed an agreement on the territory of an expanded Muslim autonomous region.
But Christian politicians in areas that would be affected challenged the deal in the Supreme Court, triggering the attacks by the rebels.
Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that "circumstances have changed" after the recent attacks and the government will no longer sign the agreement.
Rebel negotiator Iqbal said resuming talks was "like opening a can of worms." He hinted that the impasse could set off an escalation in fighting.(AP) |
