Gov’t urged to suspend military operations near MILF camp in Lanao

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Faisal Mangondato and his political party on Wednesday called on the government to suspend military operations near and within the 103rd camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lanao.

Mangondato said in a statement released by Katipunan Party that his supporters from the area reported that bombings and cannon fire hit the 103rd MILF camp and caused casualties.

“MILF is now securing the camp and has warned that if [there will be] further breach of the agreement between the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines)-MILF panel of mutual assurance of maintaining the peace, it will be forced to defend themselves,” Mangondato said.

Faisal Mangondato /Facebook

“To avoid armed hostilities from breaking out between the military and the MILF,”  Mangondato recommended “the suspension of military operations and the conduct of talks on how the MILF and military can cooperate with each other in apprehending the destabilizers of the situation and disruptors of the peace in Lanao.”

The military earlier confirmed airstrike operations in Lanao del Sur against members of the Daulah Islamiyah and remnants of the Maute Group.

READ: 3 dead in Lanao del Sur military operations

“We are totally in control of the situation. We are doing this to preempt the Daulah Islamiyah from creating havoc in the communities and victimizing innocent civilians,” said Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., chief of the military’s Western Mindanao Command.

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