Gov’t moves to contain fighting between 2 MILF rivals

Cotabato City, Philippines—More government troops were deployed to cordon off three neighboring barangays in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, as fighting between two Moro rebel groups continued on Wednesday.

Speaking for the 6th Infantry Division, Col. Prudencio Asto said at least six men had been killed in the skirmishes between members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and followers of former MILF commander Umbra Amelil Kato at Barangay Balanaken in Datu Piang. The fighting began on Sunday.

“They are quarreling over territory,” Asto said, adding that Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo, 6th ID chief, had ordered the deployment of peacekeepers to Datu Piang.

About 230 families who left their homes in three adjoining barangays for fear of getting caught in the crossfire are now housed in Datu Gumban Elementary School.

Ardo said he had asked the ceasefire panels of the government and the MILF to work out solutions. “Otherwise, the military will intervene,” he said.

Asto said the troops were deployed to prevent the “rido” (feud) from escalating to adjoining barangays. “We hope they will settle it quickly because it is the fasting month (Ramadan) and it is very difficult for people to be ejected from their homes,” he said.

Datu Piang officials said representatives of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) had also visited the areas where there was fighting.

The IMT helps oversee the government-MILF ceasefire.

Intrusion

Kato, a foreign-trained Islamic missionary, bolted the MILF last year and now leads a group composed of rogue guerrillas.

The hostilities began when heavily armed followers of Kato led by a certain Abunawas roamed around Balanaken, which is controlled by a certain Adzmi of the MILF.

Abunawas was quoted as saying that his group would set up camp in the barangay.

Adzmi resisted and engaged the intruders in a fierce firefight on Sunday afternoon, until the latter fled to the borders of Datu Piang and Midsayap in North Cotabato.

Abunawas’ group returned the next day, this time with mortars, and engaged Adzmi’s group in sporadic skirmishes.

Asto said Brig. Gen. Ariel Bernardo, the chair of the government ceasefire panel, had been coordinating with his counterpart in the MILF to stop the fighting.

Gov’t concern

In Malacañang, President Aquino’s spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the government’s chief peace negotiator, Marvic Leonen, had expressed to the MILF the government’s concern over the continuing violence in Datu Piang.

“Yes, it is a concern for the Philippine panel… Hopefully, they will be able to resolve it internally,” Lacierda told reporters at Wednesday’s news briefing.

But he said the Aquino administration did not think the hostilities would affect the strides made in the peace talks between the government and the MILF.

The clashes erupted days after the President met with MILF chair Murad Ebrahim in Tokyo, where they agreed to fast-track the peace process and forge an agreement before the end of Mr. Aquino’s term in 2016.

“We believe this will not hamper our discussions and negotiations with the MILF,” Lacierda said.

He said the government troops in Datu Piang had taken a defensive stance.

“Surveillance is important for them because there are civilians who are fleeing. The job of the government is make sure that assistance is given to the evacuees,” Lacierda said. With a report from Norman Bordadora