MILF-MNLF fighting erupts in North Cotabato despite local truce

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 24): MILF-MNLF fighting erupts in North Cotabato despite local truce

Despite the existence of a localized truce signed by two Moro rebel groups in North Cotabato that was witnessed by Malaysian-led International MOnitoring Team,and police and military, skirmishes continued in remote villages here.

The protagonist, according to the Army's 6th Infantry Division, was the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which is talking peace with national government.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, speaking for the 6th Infantry "Kampilan" Division, said armed elements of 108th Base Command of the MILF under a certain Tamano Naig attacked the residence of Datu Dima Ambel, chair of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Barangay Kilada, North Cotabato on Sunday.

The rebels also attacked the truck yard of the Cotabato Sugar Central Corporation (COSUCECO) in the same incident.

Hermoso said the attack was triggered by the desire of the MILF to get back at the MNLF after they suffered fatalities since the conflict began last May 5.

On May 5, hostilities erupted between feuding MNLF and MILF in Barangays Kilada and Barangay, Matalam, site of a peace zone created after the 1996 signing of the GPH-MNLF peace agreement.

The conflict led the series of armed violence that resulted in the killing of several combatants from both sides and civilians caught in the crossfire. About 6,000 villagers were also forced to flee to safer grounds.

A local truce brokered by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza last May 23 has ceased the skirmishes.

But fighting erupted again on Sunday when a band of MILF elements belonging to the 108th Base Command under Tamano Naig attacked the residence of Datu Dima Ambel and the truck yard of COSUCECO Sugar Mill all located in Barangay Kilada, Matalam, Cotabato.

The fighting lasted for about 15 minutes with no reported casualty on both sides. The MILF attackers withdrew towards Sitio Mateo, Barangay West Patadon of the same municipality.

Brig. Gen. Ademar Tomaro, 602nd Infantry Brigade chief, said that the motive of the MILF attack was to get even with the MNLF due to the series of setbacks it incurred in the past resulting to the deaths of some of its members and intent to dislodge and replace the MNLF in its security service contract with COSUCECO Sugar Mill.

The 602nd Infantry Brigade is now coordinating with traditional and non-traditional leaders, local government units and the GPH-MILF Ceasefire Mechanisms to find solutions in resolving the MILF-MNLF feud in Matalam, Cotabato province.

So far, no evacuation was reported.

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