MANILA, Philippines -- North Cotabato’s Piñol brothers -- Representative Ben and Vice Governor Emmanuel -- on Wednesday lamented that the military was allegedly neglecting the protection of towns in their province that have come under attack by Moro rebels.

The congressman said in an interview that his brother the vice governor had sent him a text message asking for help against fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who have reportedly been raiding villages in the towns of Aleosan and Pikit, triggering skirmishes with government militias and evacuations of civilians over the past weeks.

“He [Vice Governor Piñol] said they would arm themselves and harness any arms we could get,” the lawmaker said as he corroborated what his brother told the ABS-CBN New Channel earlier in the day that presidential peace adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. had allegedly warned that the military would not come to the aid of North Cotabato if it was attacked by the MILF because of the province’s opposition to a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain between government and the Moro rebels.

The Supreme Court issued on Monday a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the signing of the MOA, originally scheduled in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday, after officials of North Cotabato and Zamboanga City filed petitions against the agreement.

Once signed, the MOA would pave the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, which is envisioned to expand on the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by including more than 700 villages, a number of these North Cotabato, which will then vote in a plebiscite on their proposed inclusion.

Vice Governor Piñol recalled a phone conversation with Esperon before the high court issued the TRO. "I don't know if he was joking. I don't know, pero ang sabi niya sa akin, pare, kapag na-TRO kami diyan [sa signing ng MOA] bahala na kayo sa sarili ko [he told me that if we are stopped from signing the MOA by a TRO, you will be left to fend for yourselves]," Piñol said in the television interview.

"We are not going to sacrifice the lives of our soldiers to defend you. We will not sacrifice them. These were [Esperon's words], or words to that effect," Piñol said.

Earlier, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza lambasted the vice governor for allegedly making “irresponsible” statements that could worsen the situation in Mindanao.

But Piñol the lawmaker said Dureza, the former presidential peace adviser, should not meddle in the issue and let Esperon answer the accusation.

Representative Piñol also asserted that the government has been ignoring the situation in North Cotabato.

“Nasasaktan, galit ang mga tao sa Mindanao [The people of Mindanao are being hurt]. Now the Muslims are also enraged at the government, parang binalewala nila yung temperament [they have disregarded the temperament of the people],” he added.

The lawmaker said military officials supposedly cited an existing ceasefire agreement with the MILF to justify their inaction against MILF attacks on North Cotabato villages.

“Local officials are demanding for reinforcements but no military forces have arrived,” he said.

Esperon was assigned to Central Mindanao at the height of the government's all-out offensive against the MILF in 2000, commanding the 602nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen town, North Cotabato, when Vice Governor Piñol was governor.

The vice governor said he is the godfather of one of Esperon's children.

Esperon, who is in Malaysia, did not return calls on his mobile phone when sought for comment.

Earlier Wednesday, Armed Forces chief General Alexander Yano denied the military was restraining itself in North Cotabato.

"There is no policy restraining the military organization to defend the Filipino people from any threat regardless of his creed, political belief and ideological position," the military chief said.

"We assure our brothers in North Cotabato, and all our countrymen, that your Armed Forces is capable and aptly equipped to address the threats besetting them," he added.