MILF: 2 Maguindanao pols support Kato

COTABATO CITY—A senior Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official yesterday said two prominent Maguindanao politicians were supporting the group of Ameril Umra Kato.

The military has received the same information but has regarded this as raw and unverified.

The MILF official, who requested anonymity due to lack of authority to speak on the matter, identified the politicians, one of them was Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu.

The Inquirer is withholding the name of the other Maguindanao politician as efforts to reach him has not succeeded.

Mangudadatu  denied the allegations and said he must have been misconstrued when he called for a dialogue with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM), the group that Kato heads.

He said the dialogue could pave the way for the end of violence, which took place as the Muslim world celebrates its holy month of Ramadan.

The MILF official said Mangudadatu and the other politician started financing Kato’s army, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), after the death of his wife and 57 other persons in the infamous Maguindanao massacre in 2009.

“I hope our authorities will investigate our concern so they can prevent the worst from happening,” the MILF official said.

Mangudadatu said his critics started circulating false information after he suggested that Kato should  be invited in the peace process.

He said the former MILF leader, who broke away from the rebel group due to serious disagreements over the conduct of the peace process, commanded a following and violence could not possibly be contained unless he became part of the peace process.

Mangudadatu said he wondered what’s wrong with the suggestion. “Does this mean I’m a Kato coddler, that I’m a Kato protector?” he asked.

Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo, commander of the military’s 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao, said they had received the same information about the supposed ties that Mangudadatu and the other politician have with Kato.

“We have raw information undergoing validation, but at this point the imputation appears baseless and politically motivated,” he said.

Mangudadatu had said he would seek reelection in the Maguindanao gubernatorial race next year but a relative, former Sultan Kudarat Rep. Pax Mangudadatu was eyeing the ARMM leadership.

Ardo said he would not comment any further to avoid the military to be dragged into the issue.

“The military, as law enforcers and peacekeepers is nonpartisan. Our concern now is to restore normalcy at the highway and to remain on the defensive,” he said.

As of yesterday, fighting was continuing between soldiers and BIFF forces in the towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, Mamasapano, Datu Piang and Guindulungan.

The violence has forced more than 25,000 people out of their homes.

Four civilians were also killed since the fighting broke out on Sunday.

The latest civilian casualty was an evacuee, who was hit by a sniper fire inside an evacuation center in Shariff Aguak town on Thursday. Jeoffrey Maitem and Charlie Señase, Inquirer Mindanao