Army protests release of MILF high-profile prisoners

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army aired its impassioned objections against a demand by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to release the Islamist group’s high-profile members from prisons.

In a statement titled “Why the Jailed Terrorists Must not Be Freed,” the Army, through spokesman, Colonel Antonio G. Parlade Jr., reacted strongly against the prospects of detained MILF members getting released as part of the group’s demands in the midst of peace talks.

“These ‘political detainees’ that the MILF is referring to are high profile prisoners involved in various heinous crimes, including illegal possession of firearms and explosives, bombing, arson and multiple murders,” the Army said, adding:

“They are not put behind bars because of their political beliefs but because of their serious criminal offenses against the Filipino people.”

The Army said submitting to the MILF’s demand to the government peace panel would be too much even though the Armed Forces continued to support government efforts to bring peace in Mindanao.

“These detained MILF members were responsible for the death of many innocent civilians. The bombings that were carried out by the MILF’s Special Operations Group (SOG), not just in Mindanao, but in Metro Manila as well has claimed innocent lives and destroyed properties,” it said.

“Who can forget about the Dec. 30, 2000 LRT bombing which killed 20 people and wounded several others? This horrible crime was attributed to the MILF’s Special Operations Group whose members are bomb-experts,” it added.

In 2003, it further said, MILF rebel Muklis “Saifullah” Yunos pleaded guilty to multiple murder charges filed against him in connection with the said bombing. Another accused, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, a foreign Islamic terrorist who worked with the MILF also admitted participation in that deadly terrorist act, the Army added.

“What of the bombing of a passenger bus that killed 10 people and wounded 20 others in Matalam, North Cotabato in October 2010?” the Army said.

That attack was believed to have been carried out by the MILF in retaliation for the arrest of MILF member and bomb expert Edgar Guerra, who is among the MILF members currently detained jailed fo “his acts of terrorism.”

“With due respect to the numerous victims of the terroristic activities perpetrated by these notorious criminals, we would like to allow the wheels of justice take its course rather than releasing them ‘in the spirit of peace-building,’” the Army said.

It added that the release of MILF prisoners might set a bad precedence.

“It should be made clear that these persons were jailed not because of their being members of the MILF, but because of their criminal and terroristic activities,” it said.