MILF: Usman’s death has nothing to do with BBL passage

The killing of top terrorist bomb maker Basit Usman by Moro Islamic Liberation Front has nothing to do with the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

“It has nothing to do with the BBL. This is to prove to all that the MILF is true to its mandate and fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations based on the provisions of the agreement signed with the government of the Republic of the Philippines, including the mechanisms of the ceasefire agreement,” MILF vice chair for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said on Thursday.

MILF claimed they killed Usman after he entered their area and resisted confrontation, which led to a firefight on Sunday in Guindulungan, Maguindanao.

Jaafar said MILF was not interested with the reward money.

Usman had a P6.3 million bounty from the Philippine government and $1 million from the US government.

“The MILF did not do it for money because we are not interested in the reward money. Even if they give it to the MILF we will not accept it,” he said.

● Infighting over $1-M bounty seen behind Usman killing–AFP

Usman was one of the targets of the botched Oplan Exodus in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January.

Usman was able to escape but Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, was killed. The operation also left dead 44 police officers, 18 MILF members and several civilians.

The proposed BBL was questioned after the incident, as MILF members were involved near the shoot-out and the hideout of Marwan was near an MILF turf.

On Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines made a full turnaround on the death of Usman and gave the credit to MILF.

● It’s official: MILF killed Basit Usman–AFP

The AFP earlier said it was one of Usman’s followers, a military asset, that killed Usman on Sunday.

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