Palace warns MILF: Cooperate in drive vs criminals or step aside

MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang on Tuesday told the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to either cooperate or stand aside when government troops go after lawless elements in or near their strongholds in southern Philippines.

Undersecretary Abigail Valte made these remarks after the MILF said it would defend its positions should the government forces go after Dan Laksaw Asnawi, the second highest-ranking MILF military commander in Basilan.

“We have made it clear from the onset that this is not against the MILF as an entity but against lawless elements,” Valte told reporters.

“Either they cooperate or stand aside and let our law enforcers do their jobs,” she added.

President Aquino himself has said that Asnawi is one of the personalities government troops are after following the Al-Barka, Basilan clash that killed 19 members of the Army’s Special Forces.

Asnawi is reportedly involved in the beheading of Marines in an earlier encounter.

In the website luwaran.com, the MILF said an investigation by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF ceasefire committees has cleared the rebel group of any connection with the atrocities committed against the Marines.

It said the panels pointed to the Abu Sayyaf Group as the perpetrators.