MILF rebels urged to withdraw from occupied areas in Cotabato town

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 19): MILF rebels urged to withdraw from occupied areas in Cotabato town

Mayor Lani Candolada of Tulunan, North Cotabato has urged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to withdraw their forces now positioned in several areas that used to be thickly populated and respect ceasefire and other agreements relative to the ongoing armed fighting that affected three towns along the tri-boundary of the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, and Maguindanao.

Candolada, in an interview over dxND, said that there seems to be a ‘breakdown’ of agreements made earlier by three local government units from Tulunan in North Cotabato, Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, and Datu Paglas in Maguindanao, when MILF forces continued to occupy puroks and sitios of Barangays Maybula and New Bunawan.

Citing basis the statements made by some residents of Sitio Tuburan of Barangay New Bunawan, the mayor said MILF rebels seized some properties and belongings of the B’laans when they occupied the place last Monday.

The rebels are already positioned in Purok Malipayon, site of several projects funded by international non-government organizations.

The peacekeeping forces, after the negotiations, withdrew from Purok Malipayon, she said.

“There are no more government forces there. But we just found out later, the area is now being occupied by the MILF. Despite the agreements, there are also isolated firing, which come mostly from the MILF rebels,” said Candolada.

Abner Maniba, spokesman for the 109th base command of the MILF, confirmed earlier reports that it was their forces that now occupy some of the areas in the tri-boundary.

“We don’t deny that it is our forces that are positioned in the area. But we are always on a defensive position,” Maniba said in an interview over dxND.

He denied the accusation that they violated internal agreements. He said it was not their troops that started the attack last Sunday.

“We were first attacked by unknown elements. And we just defended our position that’s why we fought back,” he stressed.

The armed fighting, which started after series of cattle rustling in Purok Malipayon, Tulunan last May, has now spread to adjoining sitios, puroks, and barangays in three towns.

The encounter last Sunday killed Dondon Palomo, member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) from Barangay Maybula in Tulunan. Two MILF members were wounded during the exchange of fires, according to Maniba.

In Tulunan town, the displaced families already reached 200, Candolada said.

Evacuees are housed temporarily in multi-purpose halls of Barangays Maybula and New Bunawan and municipal gym at the Poblacion, data from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said.

There are also evacuees from Barangay El Bebe in Datu Paglas and Barangay Polomolok in Columbio, Candolada said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=535756