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Saturday, August 23, 2008
Troops penetrate Moro rebels' camp
By Bong P. Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Government forces penetrated without resistance MILF's Camp Bilal as offensive continues against a renegade Moro leader who led the recent attack of four Lanao del Norte towns, a military official said Friday.
Object of the offensive is Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, head of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) 102nd Base command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
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Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Nelson Allaga said no fighting ensued when the troops penetrated and started scouring Camp Bilal, where Bravo and his men are hiding.
Allaga described Bilal complex as a series of satellite camps stretching 20 kilometers along a road corridor where Bravo seeks refuge along the adjoining mountainous terrain.
"Wherever he (Commander Bravo) is, that is where he claims his Camp Bilal is," Allaga said, citing Bravo is moving from a certain place to another.
The MILF said that Camp Bilal stretches to seven of the 22 towns and one city of Lanao del Norte province. It is also the largest camp in the said area.
"Our troops are already inside Bilal complex, which is the known hideout of the 102nd Base Command under Commander Bravo without resistance contrary to the statement of Bravo who said that they shall meet and engage the military troops bullet to bullet," said Allaga, who is in Lanao del Norte.
The offensive is in line with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's order to crush the MILF rebels who attacked the Lanao del Norte towns.
The Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have placed a P5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Bravo.
"The AFP (Armed Force of the Philippines) pursuit operation against the MILF forces is continuing and the military has gained headway in its campaign against the armed group," said Allaga.
He added that Joint Task Force Tabak, the unit directed to conduct the offensive action, has sufficient troops to accomplish the assigned task.
Meanwhile, additional Army battalions from other parts of the country were sent to Lanao del Norte to assist the troops already in the province in pursuing Bravo and his followers.
Allaga, however, said troops are carefully pursuing Bravo's group since they have civilian hostages used as human shields.
He did not disclose as to how many followers Bravo has, but Joint Task Force Tabak chief Hilario Atendido earlier said that Bravo's estimated armed followers are from 1,000 to 1,500 people.
Allaga said the situation in the four Lanao del Norte towns that were attacked by the group of Bravo is "almost back to normal."
At least 7,000 of the several thousands of people who evacuated to Ozamis City in the nearby Misamis Occidental province have already returned home, he said. (Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (August 23, 2008 issue)
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