MILF CCCH pins blame to military should ceasefire breaks

From the MILF Website (Jun 2): MILF CCCH pins blame to military should ceasefire breaks

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front – Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (MILF CCCH) pointed blames on the 602nd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army should the ceasefire scuttle for utter disregard of initiatives for peaceful resolution and the ceasefire accord between the government and the MILF Matalam.

The MILF CCCH said “it is only the 602nd Brigade under Gen Tomaro to blame should fierce fighting between the government and MILF forces broke out in Matalam, thus, the scuttling of the ceasefire and confidence of the MILF forces to the peace process.

“Instead of doing its part in the implementation of the Resolution agreed during the Provincial Peace and Order Council Meeting that was presided over by Governor Lala Talino Mendoza for the speedy settlement of the conflict that broke out between the local troops of the MILF and troops of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Datu Dima Ambil, the troops of BGen Tomaro fueled and join the fighting,” the MILF CCCH said.

The MILF had no intention to engage the government forces under the 602nd Brigade but the 602nd Brigade had been attacking the local MILF forces at Barangays Marbel and Natutunagan in Matalam since the MNLF-initiated skirmishes against the MILF broke out early this month.

In the last spate of attacks against the MILF local forces under the 108th Base Command, 105th Base Command, 110th Base Command and National Guard Base Command, by the MNLF local and reinforcement troops, the 602nd Brigade fired several rounds of 105mm mortars.

“We cannot understand the reasons why the 602nd Brigade had been joining the fighting and bombarding the MILF other than their sneaky motive of undermining the ceasefire and the peace process between the government and MILF,” Omar Bayao, Member of the MILF CCCH said.

“The MILF had not started the firefight, our troops had been in defensive position and had not been firing at the military because we put above the primacy of the peace process and the ceasefire,” Bayao said.

“They are leaving no other for the MILF but to defend themselves,” he added.

“Worst, the forces of the 602nd Brigade are now staying near the houses vacated by the displaced civilians, particularly those owned by MILF. This is totally devoid of respect to mandated duties, human rights, international humanitarian laws, civilian protection and the ceasefire accord,” Rasid Ladiasan, Head of the MILF CCCH, stressed.

Ladiasan said “what can the CCCHs of the government and MILF do if the forces of BGen Tomaro are bent to disrespect the ceasefire and out to imperial the peace process that had been painstakingly uphold by the leadership of the MILF and no less than His Excellency President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.”

“This is very unfortunate that while all, including the local government units, concerned leaders, MILF leadership and the national government, the International Monitoring Team (IMT), had been trying hard to immediately revert back normalcy in the conflict affected areas of Matalam, the government forces are doing otherwise,” he said.

“The MILF CCCH knew BGen Tomaro as good general and we hope that he would do the right thing to protect the ceasefire and the peace process,” Ladiasan.
“If we fail and hope we will not as we have been doing everything in pushing for the faithful implementation of the Resolution reached during the Peace and Order Council Meeting, then this is so unfortunate,” he said.

“There is no other way of addressing the problem in Matalam but through peaceful means, and all those who are devil’s advocate and would opt for otherwise should be blame.”

The Resolution was signed by concerned MILF commander, Dima Ambil, Gen Tomaro, Gov Talino, Police Provincial Director, Local Monitoring Team, Mayor of LGU Matalam, Datu Jimmy and Norodin Matalam, and the Government Ceasefire Committee last May 23, 2013.

The reconciliation ceremony for the peaceful settlement of the conflict between the local troops of Datu Dima and MILF local forces is supposed to happen on June 5, 2013 through the facilitation and support of the Mayor of Matalam and Pagalungan.

But because of the attacks and war posture of the forces of BGen Tomaro along side with the local MNLF forces, the reconciliation may not happen. Worst the ceasefire between the government and MILF and more importantly the GPH - MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed at Malacanang Palace will be adversely affected.

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