Monday, January 29, 2007 Thousands flee from fighting in Central Mindanao By Bong Garcia
THOUSANDS of residents have abandoned their homes and fled to safer grounds, as intense fighting erupted between government forces and lawless elements in Central Mindanao.
Army 6th Infantry Division Chief Nehemias Pajarito said the fighting started when more than a hundred lawless elements raided two farming villages in Midsayap town, North Cotabato.
Evacuees sought refuge with their relatives or stayed in makeshift evacuation centers in the villages of Nabalawag, Sambulawan, Tumbras, Kapinpilan, Dulawan and Bario 7 of the same town.
Pajarito said the raid happened on Thursday while the farmers were harvesting their crops in the villages of Rangaban and Mudseng in Midsayap.
"When they saw the farmers were harvesting, they also went to the area also to harvest crops," Pajarito said on Sunday in a phone interview.
"It is not new in the area; they [lawless elements] have been doing that ever since," he added.
On Friday, gunmen attacked again the farmers and carted away their harvest.
Three militiamen in the farming villages were killed when the lawless elements staged the attack on Rangaban and Mudseng.
Another firefight ensued on Saturday when soldiers from the Army's 7th Infantry Battalion who were deployed to secure the villages came under attack. Two soldiers were wounded.
Pajarito said they already informed the villagers to return to their respective homes since the situation has normalized.
Pajarito's statement was contradicted by the MILF, which said the fighting started Thursday after government militia attacked MILF forces in Barangay Rangaban, Midsayap.
The MILF said sporadic firefight ensued with three militiamen killed in action and several others wounded. No casualty was reported from the side of the MILF.
The MILF forces in Rangaban are native inhabitants of the area.
Dispute over land ownerships in Rangaben and adjacent barangays between the families and relatives of native MILF forces and the settlers who are identified with militia forces had triggered the skirmishes between the two parties, according to the MILF.
"It's not an MILF area. How could it be an MILF area when the places are inhabited by farmers," Pajarito said.
Pajarito also denied MILF allegations that the military conducted air assault, saying "we conducted reconnaissance to track down the lawless elements."
Pajarito said on Sunday that there was no report of new clashes in the area.
