The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM), a Muslim rebel group which broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is now headed by a “rotating” leadership after the reported death of its founder, Ameril Umra Kato, a ranking MILF official said Friday.
Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF political affairs chief, said each of the interim leaders would lead the BIFM for a period of six months.
“(This is) not a logical arrangement if he is alive,” Jaafar said as he spoke of “reliable information” that Kato had indeed died.
Jaafar said the seventh day prayer and offering for Kato’s demise was held on Thursday by his followers in Camp Omar in Talayan, Maguindanao.
He said two cows were slaughtered during the gathering.
Jaafar said Kato’s top lieutenants did not confirm the death of the 65-year-old Saudi-trained cleric but told the crowd on Thursday that their leader “went somewhere (may pinuntahan), that he is not available for conversation (hindi makakausap), but he is well (nasa mabuting kalagayan).”
Jaafar said these words were symbolic and that “‘may pinuntahan’ could mean he (Kato) went to another life; ‘hindi makakausap’ because he is already dead; and ‘nasa mabuting kalagayan’ because as a Muslim, he is now in paradise.”
Jaafar also said one of Kato’s wives said she was no longer able to talk to his husband.
“The information is very reliable. He is dead,” Jaafar said.
He said Kato suffered a stroke two weeks ago and died several days later.
But Jaafar could not say when and where the BIMF leader died.
If Kato’s followers had offered seventh day prayers on Thursday, it was most likely he died Wednesday last week, another rebel leader—who spoke on condition of anonymity—said.
But Abu Misri Mama, spokesperson of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the BIFM’s armed wing, said if Kato had indeed died, they could have announced it early on.
“We could have made it public already. There is no need for us to hide it. As Muslims, it is our obligation to make the demise of a good brother known so his love ones could pay their last respects,” Misri stressed.
He branded Jaafar’s claim as “amazing and false.” “Announcing that a living person had died is a sin,” he said.
Pressed on the condition of the BIFM founder, Mama confirmed that Kato had indeed suffered a stroke. Earlier, he said Kato only had a bout with asthma.
“Don’t worry, if he dies, we will be the one who will announce it,” Mama said.
Mama said the former MILF leader was recuperating with the aid of three medical specialists.
“I do not know why Jaafar is spreading the news that Ustadz Kato is dead,” Mama said.
“He is alive and recovering in an undisclosed place in Mindanao,” he added.
Kato took with him many MILF rebels under the 105th Base Command when he bolted the MILF last year over policy disagreements with the central committee led by Murad Ebrahim.