MILF, Army clash in Basilan: Gov’t ‘deeply concerned,’ calls for calm

Basilan map

MANILA, Philippines — The military confirmed Wednesday the ongoing firefight between the Philippine Army and combined members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and lawless groups in Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan province.

Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of the 101st Infantry Brigade and Joint Task Force (JTF) Basilan, said government soldiers and around 100 MILF forces and members of lawless groups have been in a gun battle since 12:25 p.m. Tuesday, November 8, in Barangay Ulitan.

“Continuing kasi nagre-reinforce ‘yung ibang MILF,” Gobway told reporters in a Viber message.

(The encounter is continuing since the MILF is reinforcing.)

“Ang sabi sana namin na ‘wag nang mag-reinforcement … eh ang problema umaatake sila ngayon, kaya nasa defensive na actually ang military ngayon,” he added.

(We urged them not to bring reinforcement, but the problem is they are attacking now, so the military is now actually on the defensive.)

Gobway also said the MILF “are coddling lawless elements” in the area.

Also on Wednesday, Carlito Galvez, the Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, said he was “deeply concerned” with the armed skirmish, especially since a peace process is ongoing between the government and the MILF.

Galvez said the peace mechanisms, particularly the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) are now on the ground to ease tensions.

“We would therefore like to call for sobriety, as we wait for the results of the CCCH and AHJAG inquiry to be disclosed,” he said in a statement.

Galvez also said his office has reached out right away to both parties in order to deescalate the situation.

“The signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro ushered an era of unprecedented peace and security in the Bangsamoro, as it finally silenced the guns of war and put an end to decades of armed conflict,” he said.

“We cannot allow this latest incident in Basilan to negate the major gains we have achieved over the years,” he added.

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