Military denies violating peace process with MILF

Armored Personnel Carriers stand guard in Maguindanao province, southern Philippines on Thursday. Hundreds of troops, backed by assault helicopters, launched offensives on two strongholds of a breakaway Muslim guerrilla group in southern Philippines after they attacked at least 14 military camps and outposts, officials said Thursday. AP FILE Photo

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine military in Sultan Kudarat on Friday denied accusation by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front of violating the peace process by massing in Napnapin village, Palambang town.

“What’s wrong with massing?” Colonel Alexander Balunta, 1st Marine Brigade Commander told reporters in a phone interview. “What did we violate when we are not engaging them in a fight?”

The MILF said that about a hundred Marines with six military vehicles and armor trucks were positioned a hundred meters away from the area of MILF troops.

A member of the General Staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the MILF’s military, said it was “unfortunate” that this happened while peace negotiations between the government and the Moro rebel group were ongoing.

“These troops of Marines are not respecting and violating the ceasefire accord and the primacy of the peace process between the government and MILF,” the official said in a statement posted on the MILF’s official website.

“We cannot understand why they are doing it deliberately uncoordinated and provocative while the talks are ongoing,” he added.

Peace talks between the MILF and the government began on October 2, the same day the military build-up started in Napnapin.

But Balunta said the soldiers were sent in the area for government’s drive against illegal loggers.
He said that about two weeks ago, members of the Philippine Marines seized more than 50,000 board feet of hot logs. There were still about 100,000 board feet of illegally cut logs in Palimbang, he said.

“We know very well the ongoing peace negotiation between the [government] and the MILF. We will respect and support that fully,” he said.