MANILA, Philippines – Although the military has suspended its offensives against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in deference to Ramadan, it will maintain defensive positions against possible attacks by the breakaway Moro rebel group.
“We called off already the operations due to Ramadan and the only clearance given to us by the joint panel (GPH- MILF) is three days to conduct the law enforcement operations,” Army’s 6th Infantry Division chief Major General Romeo Gapuz told reporters in a phone interview Monday.
Following an appeal from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the military operations were “called off” last Saturday hours after the bloody clash in Maguindanao.
“We have to abide by that because we don’t like to derail the peace process,” he added.
The clashes Saturday morning came ahead of the resumption of peace talks between the government and MILF on Monday in Kuala Lumpur.
Gapuz said the military will be “always prepared” for any possible attacks by the BIFF.
Led by former 105th Base commander Ameril Umra Kato, the BIFF broke away from the MILF after serious disagreements on the conduct of the peace talks.
“It’s not proper for the AFP and PNP not to react [to any untoward eventuality],” adding that they expect attacks from the BIFF next week.
The Ramadan this year will start on July 9 until August 7.
The simultaneous attacks by Moro insurgents on government troops in Maguindanao and North Cotabato on Saturday have left six soldiers killed and two wounded.
Gapuz claimed that reported fatalities on the enemy side were as much as 80, but this could not be independently verified through body count.
Colonel Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, clarified to reporters that the reported fatalities on the enemy side were only based from testimonies of local officials and civilians.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, Public Affairs Office chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that the situation is now “peaceful” in the areas of Maguindanao and North Cotabato.
“The BIFF is hell-bent in derailing the GRP-MILF peace talks by launching simultaneous attacks against civilians and military alike,” he added.
“We will not allow the BIFF to destroy the peace that the government and the MILF have long sought after,” he also said.