AFP denies colluding with targets ‘coddled’ by MILF
Lt Col Harold “Harry” M Cabunoc (Inf) PA. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines has denied colluding with targets supposedly coddled by Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which led to unsuccessful operations against international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.
Former Special Action Force Commander Getulio Napeñas said in a Senate hearing on Monday that one of the reasons why the AFP was “time-on-target” was in order to avoid the operations against Marwan being compromised.
“Of course, many of you will ask: What could be the reason why the operation will be compromised? The main reason is that the information and preparations of operations are leaked whenever major operations against high value targets are conducted as the subjects are being coddled by the MILF whose members have a lot of contacts with the AFP and PNP, thus the high level of operation security and secrecy are necessary.
“The Director, PNP Intelligence Group is very much concerned of the compromise whenever coordination is done with the AFP including our own intelligence unit. And this is based on our past experiences,” Napeñas said.
The SAF’s operation that targeted Marwan and Basit Usman, which was kept from the military, claimed the lives of 44 elite police officers.
Article continues after this advertisementAFP Public Affairs Office chief Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc said that Napeñas accusation was merely a “speculation.”
Article continues after this advertisementThe MILF and the government sealed a peace agreement last year and were in the process of creating the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was aimed to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The ARMM was once described by President Benigno Aquino III as a failed experiment.
Cabunoc also said the MILF are their allies in “peace and development.”
“They (MILF) are now partners in peace and development. Lagi silang hinihikayat maging partner din naming sa drive against terrorists at lagi silang ini-involve,” Cabunoc said.
He said they will just let the results of the investigation shed light on the issue, but said they will do also do their own efforts through counter-intelligence among their ranks to find out if there were any soldiers that colluded with targets.
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