MANILA, Philippines—Party-list lawmakers Thursday dared the government to disband the Reform Ilaga Movement, warning of dire consequences if the group was allowed to push through with its mission to avenge Moro atrocities.
Anak Mindanao Rep. Mujiv Hataman said that if the new group was the same as the one that existed in the 1970s, there would not be only more atrocities committed against civilians. The attacks, he said, would be much worse.
“This group should be disbanded,” Hataman said. “They should be pursued and caught. What they are capable of doing is quite frightening.”
He said the government might be suspected of having a hand in the formation of the new Ilaga if it failed to dismantle it outright.
Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, a former chair of the House committee on human rights, said he expected a sharp increase in human rights violations in Mindanao with the resurgence of the Ilaga. “It is uncalled for to revive the Ilaga given its terrible human rights record,” he said.
Ocampo asked how come the group was able to stage a press conference with 300 armed men present in one area. “Are they being tolerated by the PNP?”
“Under the law, the mandate of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police is to go after firearms in the hands of those not authorized by law to handle firearms,” Ocampo said.
Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano blamed the government for the Ilaga’s revival.
“We demand Ms Arroyo to immediately disarm and dismantle this armed group. In the first place, it is her security officials who are totally obsessed in vigilantism and instigated this through their call to arm civilians,” Mariano said.
He was referring to the PNP’s plans to distribute 1,000 shotguns to civilians who would join police auxiliary forces.
Carrying firearms to defend oneself from “lawless” Moro rebels is illegal, Malacańang said Thursday.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said civilians “who are not authorized to carry firearms and are taking up arms even with threat of killing people in retaliation for certain incidents, is pure and simple illegal.”
