MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, Philippines—Former North Cotabato Representative Anthony Dequiña distanced himself on Friday from the resurrection of the Ilaga movement in Central Mindanao.

Earlier, Representative Bernardo Piñol said that some former North Cotabato officials were behind the resurgence of the cultist vigilante group, which was linked to killings and other atrocities n Mindanao in the 1970s.

Although Piñol declined to name the former officials, Dequiña said he felt alluded to especially his father, Nicolas, was well-known for being one of the seven founders of the Ilaga.

Aside from his father, who was long-time mayor of this town, the former lawmaker said the other founders of the group in the 1970s were Mayors Wenceslao dela Cerna of Alamada, Pacifico dela Cerna of Libungan, Conrado Lemana of Tulunan, Esteban Doruelo of Pigcawayan, Jose Escribano of Tacurong -- all parts of what was then a single Cotabato province -- and Philippine Constabulary Captain Manuel Tronco.

Most members of the old Ilaga, like the Manero brothers, eventually became members of Marcos' civilian auxiliary -- the Barangay Self Defense Unit (BSDU). The BSDU was the precursor of the Civilian Home Defense Force or CHDF, which has since been renamed Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu).

"I admit that my father was one of the founders (of the Ilaga) but now I have nothing to do with its rebirth," Dequiña said.

But the former lawmaker, who also served as mayor here, admitted that some leaders of the Reformed Ilaga Movement recently came to see him and asked for advice.

"I told them, do not put the law into your hands, we have the police and the military to do the job," he said.

Like most leaders publicly opposing the resurgence of the Ilaga, Dequiña said it might worsen the situation.

"I don't want to open the wounds of the 70s," he said referring to stained relationship between Muslims and Christians.

He said the leaders of the resurrected Ilaga had repeatedly assured him "they will not go beyond the bounds of the law and would maintain a reactive group."

By reactive, Dequiña said, members of the Ilaga would confine themselves as defenders of their villages.

This was in contrast to an earlier statement by an Ilaga spokesperson that they would kill 10 Moro rebels for every Christian slain by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Dequiña said despite the assurances, he tried to discourage the leaders of the group.

"I told them to return to their lands, have a peaceful co-existence with our Muslim brothers, and do not do anything that would compromise the Mindanao peace process," he said.

Dequiña did not say who the Ilaga leaders who consulted him were. He also said he did not know who were behind them.

"With most of them (original Ilaga founders) gone now, whoever led the rebirth of the Ilaga remains a mystery. Definitely, it's not me, I am an ordinary citizen now having served the public as mayor and congressman," he said.

Dequiña also described the rebirth of the vigilante group as "spontaneous reaction of people when the lawless group attacked their communities."

"Probably these are the people who responded to the call of the times," he said, quickly adding he was not justifying the resurgence of the group.

North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol said the Sangguniang Panglalawigan has passed a resolution formally opposing the revival of the Ilaga.

Piñol said there was no need to resurrect the group as the military and the police were already performing their mandate to protect the people.

The SP resolution against the Ilaga reemergence got the support of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), a cause-oriented group in North Cotabato.

Felixberto Rodinez, PCPR spokesperson, warned that with its notorious reputation, the Ilaga could turn the situation into chaos.

"It will not help resolve our present problem with the MILF if we allow the Ilaga to once more operate," Rodinez said.

As this developed, the Catholic-run Notre Dame University (NDU) in Cotabato City on Friday launched a peace campaign aimed at making Christian and Muslim students understand each other's religion.

"The youths are here to discuss about their religions and explore how it can contribute in bringing about peace in Mindanao," professor Ray Danilo Lacson, NDU peace center director, said.