Government forces clashed Friday with BIFF rebels in the
The fighting erupted in the town of Datu Unsay
Mangudadatu, who also belongs to a powerful political clan, accused
his rival as among those involved in the brutal killings of 44 police commandos
on January 25 during a secret anti-terror operation that took down Malaysian
bomber Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in Mamasapano town.
Police tagged the BIFF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front members and
armed civilians as behind the killings of the Special Action Force commandos in
Tukanalipao village, a known stronghold of the MILF, which signed a peace deal
with Manila
The Western Mindanao Command and 6th Infantry Division did not
release any information on the progress of the new offensive ordered by
Philippine military chief General Gregorio Catapang against the BIFF, a
breakaway group from the larger MILF now fighting for Muslim independence in
the troubled region.
But Abu Misry Mama, a spokesman for the BIFF, said they are ready to
face the military offensive and even dared army and police commanders to come
and get them.
The MILF has joined the military in the hunt for BIFF members as part
of the peace agreement.
Some BIFF and MILF commanders had previously clashed in North Cotabato and Maguindanao not because of the renewed
government offensive, but due to old grudge and territorial claims and control
over vast tracts of land in the provinces.
Despite the fighting among its commanders, most of the BIFF and MILF
members are relatives and have defended each other or fought side by side
against government forces.
The military and police authorities have previously accused the MILF
of coddling Zulkifli and Abdulbasit Usman, a former member of the rebel group,
and other Malaysian and Indonesian members of the Jemaah Islamiya. But the MILF
has strongly denied this allegation.
Zulkifli was killed by police commandos inside a thatched hut deep
inside the territory of the MILF 105th Base Command. His hideout was recently
burned down, but authorities could not say who was behind it.
Police commandos were on their way to re-join more than 300 SAF
members deployed near the village after killing Zulkifli and cutting off his
finger for DNA analysis when MILF forces, aided by BIFF ambushed them that
sparked daylong clashes.
The MILF recently surrendered to the military – at least 16 weapons,
mostly automatic rifles, including two machine guns – inside the headquarters
of the 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao. The weapons were then handed over
to the police, but SAF sources claimed the guns had been cannibalized and that
many of its parts were either taken out or replaced with defective mechanism.
But a Catholic priest Father Eliseo Mercado alleged that the MILF
surrendered the weapons in exchange for money, an accusation that the rebel
group strongly denied.
Mohagher Iqbal, an MILF vice chairman and chief peace negotiator of
the group, said the handover of the weapons was a gesture of their sincerity to
the peace process. He also denied media reports quoting him as saying that
renewed hostilities may breakout in the restive region if the proposed
Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL is rejected by Congress.
Lawmakers shelved the BBL until investigations into the deadly
clashes between SAF and MILF is completed. The BBL is important in crafting a
new Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao .
At least 18 MILF and five BIFF were killed in the fierce fighting
that the Aquino government claimed was a mis-encounter. Muslim human rights
groups also claimed that 7 civilians were also killed by the police, but this
could not be independently confirmed.
The Mamasapano clash drew widespread condemnation and is now
threatening not only the peace process, but the presidency of Aquino as public
outcry for his weak leadership continues to mount.
Lawmakers also joined the police in demanding the surrender of MILF
rebels involved in the killing of SAF commandos. But the MILF said it will not
surrender those that took part in the clashes
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/02/troops-biff-clash-in-maguindanao.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.