Palace: MILF won’t be spared in quest for justice for SAF 44

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang assured the public on Sunday it would spare no one in the hunt for justice for the 44 police commanders slaughtered by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters and other Moro guerillas in Maguindanao last January 25.

The MILF has been increasingly under pressure to identify and turn over its combatants involved in the Mamasapano encounter, considering that it signed a peace agreement with the government in 2014.

Despite the killings, President Aquino has asked Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law without “diluting” it. The proposed law would carve out a new Bangsamoro autonomous region in Mindanao to be headed by a chief minister, who would pick members of the new regional police.

The MILF leadership said it would provide the government only an executive summary of its own investigation into the clash, which also killed 18 of its own men and five civilians.

Quoting Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said: “Justice will be pursued with or without MILF inputs.”

“The reality is that the power of and responsibility for law enforcement belongs solely to the government,” he said.

“(The) government of the Philippines through DOJ (Department of Justice) will do the case buildup and pursue justice through Philippine courts based on its own findings.”

Coloma said the government would ensure the “full administration of justice” to the slain members of the Special Action Force.

“Wala po itong kinikilala at walang sinisino. Basta po kailangang lumitaw ang katotohanan at magawaran ng katarungan ang ating 44 SAF troopers,” he said over Radyo ng Bayan. (The process does not have sacred cows.  Truth should surface and justice should be served for the 44 SAF troopers.)

Asked if the MILF would be given a copy of the results of government’s investigation into the Mamasapano clash, Coloma said the report would be made available to the public.

“Particular groups or individuals need not request for a copy because it will be released to the public,” he said.

Deles said the MILF’s decision to submit its own report to the International Monitoring Team in Malaysia was “simply a matter of protocol that the respective ceasefire committees submit all reports to the IMT, which then passes it on to the other party.”

“It appears that the MILF wants to show respect for and strengthen the ceasefire institution by using the ceasefire mechanisms and protocols in this regard,” she said.

“This is in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and the operational guidelines, which have been signed by the parties.”