MILF urged to appear in Congress probe or appear guilty

Sulu Representative Tupay Loong and Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano. PHOTO by Marc Jayson Cayabyab/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Two solons on Tuesday urged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to appear in the congressional inquiry on the Mamasapano carnage lest they appear guilty for their alleged involvement in the botched operation that left 44 elite cops dead.

In a press conference, Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano said the MILF should air their side on allegations that they coddled Malaysian international terrorist Zulkifli Abdhir alias “Marwan” and Filipino terrorist Abdul Basit Usman.

Alejano, a former soldier, said MILF’s appearance in the public hearings is a show of “sincerity” which is needed to regain Congress and the public’s support for the Bangsamoro bill.

“Kung hindi niyo malabas ang inyong side, paano maibabablik ang tiwala hindi lang ng gobyerno pati ng taumbayan? Ang pagtanggap ng Bangsamoro bill ay pagtanggap ng greater majority of Filipinos. Kung hindi makita ng taumbayan ang sincerity ng MILF, paano maisusulong ang (Bangsamoro bill)?” Alejano said.

(If you will not air your side, how will you regain the trust of the government and the people? The acceptance of the Bangsamoro bill relies on the acceptance of the greater majority of Filipinos. If the people cannot sense the MILF’s sincerity, how can the (Bangsamoro bill) move forward?)

Sulu Representative Tupay Loong, a former commander of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said the MILF’s failure to appear in the congressional hearings would give the impression that they are guilty in the carnage.

“This is an opportunity for them to explain their side, to erase doubt. But if they will continue resisting, the impression of the people is that para sila ang may kasalanan (that are seemingly guilty),” Loong said.

But he said the MILF’s public appearance is not easy on the get-go as it would need to go through its central committee of the Moro group that remains to be a rebel group. The MILF is a breakaway group of the MNLF.

“They are still rebels until finally the proposed Bangsamoro is passed. For me, as an organization, (the MILF) has their own central committee, so (MILF lead peace panel member) Chairman Mohagher Iqbal cannot just attend any government public hearing without the tolerance of the central committee,” Loong said.

MILF leaders failed to appear in the Senate hearings Monday and Tuesday, saying it remains to be a “revolutionary” group.

“Please bear with us as we engage the institution of the Philippine Senate officially for the first time. The MILF is a revolutionary organization. Until peace agreement is implemented, we remain to be a revolutionary organization,” read the letter sent to the Senate by chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

The passage of the bill that seeks to implement the peace deal with MILF was stalled after the MILF got involved in a supposed misencounter with the Special Action Force (SAF) which left 44 of the SAF members dead in a joint attack by the MILF and its breakaway group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The elite cops were in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao last Jan. 25 to track down Malaysian terrorist Marwan and local bomb maker Usman, who were said to be in an MILF-controlled territory. Marwan was supposedly killed in the attack, while Usman remains at large.

The carnage was largely blamed on the lack of coordination of sacked SAF commander Getulio Napeñas with military and police authorities, which failed to send reinforcements on time.

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