Sporadic fighting breaks out in Basilan
By Julie Alipala
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 18:32:00 05/15/2008
TIPO-TIPO, Basilan, Philippines -- Violence erupted in Tipo-tipo town between a still unidentified armed group and elements of the Marine Battalion landing Team 8 Thursday afternoon.
Tipo-tipo Mayor Tong Istarul said the incident occurred near Baguindan village, where soldiers and MILF rebels clashed last year.
Istarul said Thursday’s clash started when Marines were strafed by armed men past 1 p.m.
“We are still verifying reports as to what group it is. That is why I am here at the municipal hall right now," Istarul told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent of INQUIRER.net.
He said the sporadic gun battle lasted until 4:45 p.m. There were no immediate reports on casualties.
Eid Kabalu, MILF civil military affairs chief based in Cotabato City, said in a telephone interview from Davao he was informed there was tension when the Marines entered the village on Thursday.
“Our commander Malista is in nearby Barangay Silangan and they were alarmed at the entry of the Marines. But I am not sure if they were involved in the incident,” he told the Inquirer.
Kabalu said some residents fled because of the violence.
Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar, Basilan police chief, said he monitored the firefight "soon after the team of the National Development Support Command and other top brass in the military left Tipo-tipo."
"We don't have official report yet, but what I know is that the clash was between armed elements and soldiers of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 8," Macapantar said.
The peace talks between the government and the MILF have bogged down since last year over the issue of territory.
Last week, Malaysia withdrew more than half of its contingent in the International Monitoring Team (IMT) observing the ceasefire in light of the lack of progress in the talks.
The IMT is a body created by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to monitor the 2001 ceasefire agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF.
Peace advocates fear that Malaysia’s withdrawal from the IMT would trigger violence in the southern Philippines anew.
Malaysia had the biggest contingent in the 60-man IMT, which also includes Brunei and Japan. With a report from Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao
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