Tuesday, November 04, 2008 Military: Kato fears of heavy casualties
THE leader of the rouge Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Ameril Umbra Kato alias Commander Kato, has shifted to guerrilla tactics fearing heavy losses to government offensives, the military said.
Colonel Alejandro Estomo, chief of the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade, said Kato's group now employs from a minimum of seven to a maximum of 20 men in staging attacks on government installations in North Cotabato province.
Estomo said Kato's group is avoiding massive attack "because they fear incurring heavy casualties as a result of the firepower from the government forces."
Last Friday, Kato's group suffered 19 deaths in a clash with government troops backed by rocket-firing helicopters in a marshy area of Maguindanao.
The Army's 6th Infantry Division reported that the clash ensued when the government troops chanced upon at least 100 followers of Kato in the area.
From September 10 to October 22, the government has recorded a total of 11 harassments by Kato's group against government troops in the towns of Alamada, Aleosan, Libungan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan and Pikit in Northern Cotabato.
The government launched the offensives aimed at arresting Kato for leading his group in occupying several villages last August in North Cotabato area.
A separate offensive was launched against the group of Abdulrahman Macapaar alias Commander Bravo for leading the attacks last August 18 in Lanao del Norte province.
Both leaders and their men are in hiding, avoiding pursuing government troops in the two provinces. (Bong Garcia)
