MILF role in military raids may trigger 3-way war

From the Manila Standard Today (Feb 7): MILF role in military raids may trigger 3-way war

A top commander of the Nur Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front on Thursday warned that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s alleged ‘participation’ in the military’s operation against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters could spark a three-way war among rebel factions.

MNLF overall Commander Bensaleh Sharifah said MILF’s participation in identifying the BIFF’s location to government forces could worsen the situation in Mindanao and may result to a full-blown war among Muslim groups.

Sharifah alleged that a number of MILF fighters joined the military in attacking BIFF rebels during the five-day clashes in at least five areas in the outskirts of Maguindanao, known strongholds of the MNLF and the BIFF.

“Ito’s masamang senyales para sa MNLF at BIFF,” he said. (This is a bad sign for both the MNLF and the BIFF).

Sharifah said it was not the military but the MILF which requested for a 72-hour deadline for the military to “decimate” BIFF forces at their lair in Brgy. Ganta at the tri-boundary of Datu Piang and Shariff Saydona in Maguindanao.

He added that the military attacked an MNLF camp and not a BIFF camp as it claimed earlier.

Sharifah accused the military of breaking the covenant that it signed with the MNLF at the height of the Zamboanga City siege last year, particularly the agreement that the military would recognize the MNLF camp in Brgy Bakat.

Instead, Sharifah said, the camp was ‘dragged into the military’s operation’.

“How can you normalize and institute genuine peace in Mindanao when we and the BIFF are being attacked by the military?” Sharifah said.

Sharifah also claimed that the fighting in Mindanao is being used by the government to ‘demolish all rebel fronts,’ including the MNLF, which the government consider as a major stumbling block to the GRP-MILF framework agreement.

Earlier, government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer urged the BIFF to lay down their arms and participate in the peace process This was, however, rejected by the BIFF.

But MNLF spokesman Abzalom Cerveza said the move would only complicate the entire process in the government’s attempt to resolve the armed conflict in the region.

As this developed, two civilians were hurt in another bomb explosion at around 8 p.m., Wednesday, allegedly perpetrated by the BIFF in Barangay Poblacion, Kabacan, North Cotabato.

Major Dante Gania, the Public Affairs Office chief o the Army’s 6th ID, identified the wounded as Rico A. Save, 29 and Gil Jhoe P. Langrio, both from cotabato Ciyt. The victims sustained minor injuries.

Gania said probe showed the victims’ injuries were not from shrapnels of the bomb but came from the exploded tanks of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which was hit by a shrapnel.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/02/07/milf-role-in-military-raids-may-trigger-3-way-war/