Son denies news of breakaway Moro rebel Kato’s death

DEAD OR ALIVE? Ameril Umra Kato, leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, arrives on horseback along with his fighters at their camp in Maguindanao in this file photo. JOEFFREY MAITEM/ INQUIRER MINDANAO

DAVAO City, Philippines—The son of Ameril Umra Kato, leader of a group that broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has come out to deny reports that his father has died after a stroke.

Speaking for the family, Kato’s son Aliudeen said his father has been recovering at an undisclosed place, after he collapsed Tuesday last week due to heat.

An MILF source, who asked not to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, earlier said Kato died around 6 p.m. Saturday in Toril district here.

He was brought here for treatment after suffering from a fatal stroke days earlier, the source said.

Kato heads the 1,000-strong Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom fighters (BIFF), the armed wing of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM), which he also founded after breaking away from the MILF.

Abu Misri, BIFM spokesperson, also said Kato’s family has been “looking for a true doctor to examine him” for a lingering asthma, which might have triggered the collapse.

“On their way to another camp, they drank in a spring they passed by, and his vision suddenly became blurred and he collapsed shortly,” Misri said in Filipino.

Misri said Kato canceled the trekking, telling his followers that he did not feel well. He said he had not seen Kato since then.

Aliudeen said his father had been taken to a doctor, but not in Davao City, contrary to reports that he had expired early Saturday evening in a hospital in that city.

The son confirmed that his father had fallen ill, but denied that Kato could barely speak.

He said his father would in time make community appearances to meet his sympathizers after recovering.

Major General Rey Ardo, chief of the 6th Army Infantry Division, who had offered to arrange a hospital detention for Kato, said he has been trying to verify reports claiming that the BIFM leader had died.

In a November 26 post in its official website, the MILF said Kato was “bedridden and could hardly speak” after the stroke.

The MILF source said Kato was brought to Toril to be cared for by his first wife.

Von Al-Haq, spokesman of the MILF armed wing Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), said Kato’s relatives in Maguindanao had told the BIAF about the rebel leader’s death but not one has said to have seen his body.

Under Muslim custom, the dead is buried within 24 hours.

On Sunday morning, text messages from Moro activists and those sympathetic with the Moro cause also announced Kato’s death.

Kato’s death came more than a week after he met with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari in his mountain lair in Guindolongan, Maguindanao.

After the meeting, Misuari announced a possible union between the MNLF and Kato’s Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM).

Kato used to be the commander of the MILF-BIAF’s 105th Base Command covering areas around the Liguasan Marsh, which included towns in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

He was tagged as having led the attacks on civilian communities in North Cotabato in 2008, following the botched signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the government and MILF peace panels.

He broke away from the MILF-BIAF in 2010, announcing the creation of his own army, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, although he still swore political allegiance to the MILF.

He totally broke away from the MILF with the founding of BIFM this year.

Al-Haq said the MILF-BIAF has opened its doors for Kato’s fighters to re-join the MILF.

Originally posted at 04:22 pm | Sunday, November 27, 2011