ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) wants PO2 Christopher Lalan, the lone survivor of the 55th Special Action Force (55th SAC), held liable for killing five persons in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
Based on the MILF’s Special Investigative Commission’s (SIC) 37-page report, Lalan killed four MILF members who where sleeping inside a makeshift mosque in Barangay (village) Tukanalipao.
The MILF members – Musib Kasim, Mamarisa Sandigan, Rasul Kamsa and Norhamid Angkay of the 105th Base Command – were taking an afternoon nap inside a langgal (a prayer hut) when allegedly killed by Lalan.
Another MILF member, Melgar Sailila, managed to escape. Through photographs shown to him, Sailila identified Lalan as the one who killed his comrades.
The Commission said the four slain MILF members were “hors de combat” as they were not in a position to make an assault.
The SIC report also said Lalan was also identified as responsible for the killing of a civilian identified as Mohammad Ambilang. Ambilang was with three other civilians – Sheik Abdullah Abad, Kapitan Jainal and Mataya Sangki – when they were shot at, allegedly by Lalan, at the wooden bridge of Sitio (sub-village) Amilil in Tukanalipao.
“Mohammad Ambilang, who was unarmed and who had said so, put up his hands in the air to show such fact,” the SIC said, adding that despite this, he was killed by Lalan, “an unjustified act that would put this in the ambit of violation of IHL (International Humanitarian Law).”
But Supt. Reynard Arino, commanding officer of the 5th Special Action Battalion, defended Lalan’s actions.
“Lalan is in enemy area. Lalan’s comrades were killed and what he did was clear manifestation of self-defense. He was just trying to survive,” Arino said.
Turning the tables on the MILF, Arino asked “can the MILF identify who is civilian and who is MILF? The truth is there is no distinction between them.”
He said Lalan had encountered armed men and that “he was fighting against an undetermined number of armed persons in the area of the MILF.”
According to Arino, Lalan deserves the highest recognition or honor, like a Medal of Valor, for fighting with the enemy even if he was alone. SFM/AC