Gov't working to secure civilians in the ongoing Sulu fight

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 4): Gov't working to secure civilians in the ongoing Sulu fight

The government is working to ensure that no civilian will be harmed in the ongoing fighting between the members of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu, Malacanang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda made the assurance during a press briefing in Malacanang, saying “the clash is occurring in a specific isolated area. "Majority of occupants are either part of ASG or MNLF. What we have done as government is to secure the safety of the civilians in those areas.  “So right now they’re being evacuated and Secretary Dinky Soliman is in fact in Mindanao right now and we have identified evacuation centers. "The civilians in those areas are now in evacuation centers.”

The Sulu police said 13 people have been killed from the ASG side, while eight were recorded from the MNLF side after the fire fight in Kabbun Takas in Sulu. Lacierda said the government is verifying information whether there are any integrees to the military in the fighting.

The Palace official also allayed fears the MNLF, which forged a peace agreement with the government in the mid-1990s, will abide by the law and not target other armed groups in Mindanao. “Well, there’s no concern right now on that point. A lot of MNLF members have returned to the fold of government. In fact, some of them are already occupying positions of public authority so we’re not concerned with that,” he said.

The Abu Sayyaf, which allegedly has links with Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network, is one of the major threats to the country’s peace and security. The group carried out several kidnapping operations in the past particularly against foreign nationals.

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