Abu Sayyaf exploiting land reform problem in Basilan, says ARMM gov

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—The Abu Sayyaf appears to have taken advantage of the agrarian reform problem in Sumisip, Basilan, particularly one involving the areas being cultivated for rubber by the Tumahubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Coop. Inc. (Tarbidci).

Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said some disgruntled coop workers have relatives in the extremist group, which makes the situation worse.

On Thursday, soldiers clashed with a combined force of Abu Sayyaf extremists and disgruntled workers, resulting in the death of 10 soldiers and 9  Abu Sayyaf fighters and the wounding of a total of about 30 persons on both sides.

He said there were other problems complicated things further at Tarbidci, such as workers being accused of stealing rubber tree sap or raw rubber.

“The conflict in the rubber cooperative is deeper; it is related to the agrarian reform issue,” Hataman said.

He said that prior to Thursday’s clash, he had spoken with 104th Brigade commander, Colonel Arthur Ang, and asked him to handle the problem “with utmost care because while we want the armed elements pursued, we also want the problem on agrarian reform solved.”

Jerry Aklamin, a human rights worker with Kahapan Basilan, said some of the armed men that the soldiers had clashed with resented the government’s decision to award the land they were claiming “to outsiders.”

They were the original land claimants, he said.

“These people became desperate. The real owners of the land had no knowledge of the processes so they claim they were taken advantage of,” Aklamin said.

Taha Katoh, Tarbidci manager, said two of the armed men the soldiers had clashed with on Thursday were indeed former peers of his in the co-op.

“Wims Wakil and Juhair Bottong Aliman were former officials of Tarbidci,” he said.

Katoh said the former workers were either terminated or had resigned and later joined the Abu Sayyaf. He did not say why they were terminated but said that in the case of Wakil, he resigned after he was accused of murder.

Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, said there could be no justification for the attacks that also targeted ordinary coop workers.

“They lost in the courts but it should not be used as an excuse for attacking those who the land was awarded to,” he said.

Cabangbang said the military will not make a distinction between the so-called disgruntled workers and Abu Sayyaf extremists anymore.

Cabangbang said soldiers were now scouring the possible areas the armed men had withdrawn into while securing plantation cooperatives in Basilan, especially the ones that the Abu Sayyaf had previously harassed or threatened.

Major General Rainier Cruz, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said fresh troops had been sent to Basilan to boost the operation against the bandit group.

“Another battalion will be pulled out of Zamboanga Sibugay to be deployed there in a month’s time,” he said.