MILF Chief Negotiator Mohagher Iqbal. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA
MANILA, Philippines—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has not responded to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s request that the Department of Justice (DOJ) be given copy of its report on the Mamasapano clash where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos were killed.
De Lima said she has written a letter to the MILF but she has yet to receive a response.
“Sumulat kami sa kanila pero wala pa kaming natatanggap na response (We wrote to them, but we haven’t received any response from them),” de Lima told reporters Wednesday.
De Lima said the 44 SAF commandos are not the only victims in the clash but also 18 MILF and five civilians including a child.
“I am going to send a follow up letter and I hope to relay to them the message that ours is not a one-sided investigation,” she added.
The DOJ has a special team created composed of members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Prosecution Service (NPS) to investigate the clash and determine who should be held criminally liable.
De Lima said they would prefer to directly deal with the MILF hierarchy and evaluate the statements that they have related to the incident.
Earlier, MILF’s chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said they will not surrender their men involved in the clash.
Iqbal said it is up to the government to punish its own men and up to the MILF to hold its own men accountable.