Investigation underway for AFP, MILF clash in Maguindanao

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday said the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) were looking into the clash between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the military in Maguindanao yesterday.

“The CCCH and the AHJAG, we believe are looking at this so let’s await the report,” said AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla.

Although the MILF earlier admitted that it was their group that the military figured with, Padilla was careful to point fingers.

“Wala po tayong pinagbibintangan dito kaya nga po ang sabi ko sa inyo the CCCH and AHJAG are looking into this,” he said.

The firefight between the MILF and Army soldiers erupted on Wednesday morning in the town of Datu Saudi.

A Moro fighter was killed and three others, including a soldier, were wounded from the clash.

The soldier who was initially wounded died early Thursday, Padilla said.

The Army soldiers were supposedly going after the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a breakaway group of the MILF.

Padilla said the other group, not directly referring to the MILF, first fired shots on the soldiers.

“They were first to be fired upon, so hindi po tayo ang nagsimula ng gulo. Pinaputukan po ang ating mga tropa kaya kinakailangan idepensa nila ang sarili nila,” he said.

Padilla also said that the government soldiers had been conducting pursuit operations against the BIFF in the same area since Friday.

“Simula pa po nung Byernes nung tayo ay nag-ooperate at patuloy po yung coordination na ginagawa [with MILF] simula po nung nagsimula ito so hindi po natin alam kung anong nangyari talaga kahapon. Ang natanggap nating report ay ang paniniwala na ang ating mga sundalo ay kalaban nila ay from the BIFF,” he said.

Vice chair for military affairs of the MILF Von Al Haq in a report said the soldiers entered an MILF camp without any coordination.

Despite the incident, the MILF said it would not disrupt the peace agreement and expressed hope that the incident would not escalate. It also clarified in the same report that the firefight was not connected to the nonpassage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. RC