MILF recommends disciplinary action against own men

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Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Moro Islamic Liberation  Front  (MILF)  is holding its  combatants liable  at least for their  failure of intelligence to monitor  the entry  of two suspected terrorists  Zulkifli bin Hir also known as “ Marwan”  and Abdul Basit Usman in the area near MILF communities.

The  MILF’s  Special Investigative  Commission, in its 35-page report  on the January 25 Mamasapano incident,  particularly cited  the   105 Base Command (BC) and  118BC of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces in charge of the  municipality of  Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

“The Commission notes with concern the glaring failure  to intercept and monitor the  entry of Marwan and  Usman in the area near the  communities of the  MILF,”  said the report submitted to the Senate  on Tuesday.

“While it is true that the  houses occupied by Marwan and Usman are in Barangay Pembalkan, Mamasapano, some 3 kilometers away from the MILF communities, a good intelligence operation should have enabled these base  commands to detect and report the presence of Usman and Marwan to the  BIAF Command,” it said.

The report said the “laxity” exhibited by the two commands perhaps influenced by the over confidence in the relative peace obtaining  in their  communities brought about by the ceasefire agreement with the government  and signing of  the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro “should not go unnoticed.”

“This  attitude should not  b e tolerated,”  it said.

“The Commission therefore  recommends that the leadership  imposes appropriate disciplinary action against the  erring officials of the  105BC and the  118BC,” it further said.

The same failure  of intelligence, the report said, was true with respect to the entry of more or less  Philippine National Police-Special Action Force  into the MILF community in Barangay Tukanalipao.

“Ideally, every movement of government forces and other armed groups in MILF communities  must be monitored and  correspondingly reported,” it said.

The  MILF report said the failure of intelligence   during the PNP-SAF operation  last January 25 resulted in the deaths of   17 members, and  three civilians.  The  operation also claimed the lives  of 44 SAF troopers. DL

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