Mamasapano clash not a massacre because both sides were armed – MILF

From GMA News (Feb 1): Mamasapano clash not a massacre because both sides were armed – MILF

A senior official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) maintained that the bloody clash between its members and the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP SAF) last week that resulted in the death of 44 police commandos was not a massacre because both sides were armed.

In an interview on dzBB radio Sunday, MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar also said the nearly 12-hour firefight in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao on January 25 was unintentional.

"Ito ay hindi sinasadya at lalong hindi massacre ito. Ang massacre ay one-sided. Ibig sabihin ‘yung other party may armas at ‘yung bikitima walang armas. In this case, lahat ng parties to the incident ay merong armas," he said.

Jaafar said the MILF also lost men in the incident, which the government called a “misencounter.”

“Sa engkwentro may tinatamaan ng bala. Ganoon ang nangyari. So definitely, ito ay hindi massacre,” he said.

According to the MILF, at least 17 of its members died in the clash. Seven civilians, including a five-year-old girl, were also identified as casualties in the firefight.

Former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan has described the Mamasapano clash as a massacre because of the protracted shooting between the MILF and the SAF even though the rebels had already identified the latter as policemen.

The SAF were in Mamasapano to arrest Malaysian terrorist and bomb expert Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and Basit Usman, another foreign-trained bomb maker.

According to Jaafar, the MILF has formed a seven-member investigative panel to look into the clash. However, he declined to divulge the identity of the committee’s chairman, saying it is not yet the right time.

Aside from the MILF’s investigative team, a board of inquiry has been formed by Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II to probe the Mamasapano incident. Parallel investigations are also being conducted by the International Monitoring Team (IMT) overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the Philippine government and MILF.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/422506/news/nation/mamasapano-clash-not-a-massacre-because-both-sides-were-armed-milf