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