MILF clamps down on rebel activities
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has clamped down on the military activities of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) “in the interest of Moro civilians and the future of the peace process.”
Von Al-Haq, spokesperson of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the MILF’s armed wing, told the Inquirer their operation to constrict the movement and military disposition of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in North Cotabato and Maguindanao has been going on for one week.
The BIFF is the armed wing of the BIFM which was organized by former BIAF 105th Base commander, Ameril Umra Kato, mid-August last year. This led to the latter’s expulsion from the MILF.
On Aug. 5, the BIFF staged coordinated attacks targeting the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Maguindanao and North Cotabato. The offensives that lasted a week uprooted at least 20,000 persons from their homes and communities.
“We don’t want the civilians to be disturbed by these unnecessary military actions,” explained Al-Haq.
The clampdown on the BIFM, Al-Haq admitted, is part of the rebel group’s “law and order mechanism” implemented in MILF-influenced communities.
Article continues after this advertisementHe added that when the clampdown started, BIAF forces were able to suppress the attempt of BIFF to shift its offensives against the AFP from Maguindanao to North Cotabato.
Article continues after this advertisement“What we did was to position troops around their lairs. Our armed deployments are at least twice the known BIFF strength in particular areas,” Al-Haq explained.
But he clarified that the BIAF operation against the BIFM is not undertaken in behalf or in cooperation with AFP troops through the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG).
“The AFP did not invoke the AHJAG mechanism to pursue the BIFF elements,” he stressed. “But we coordinated our troop movements with the government’s contingent in the joint ceasefire committee,” Al-Haq added.
The BIFF is holed up in a portion of the MILF’s Camp Omar in the hills of Guindulungan town of Maguindanao. Through some pockets of mass supporters in Datu Piang and Mamasapano towns, it is able to mobilize forces to North Cotabato across the other side of the Liguasan Marsh.
A week after the clampdown started, Al-Haq said the BIFF leaders have engaged the BIAF leadership in a dialogue. Yesterday, the leadership of the BIAF general staff met to consider the initial results of the dialogue, Al-Haq said. Ryan D. Rosauro, Inquirer Mindanao
