Maute Group has no link to MILF -- AFP

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 2): Maute Group has no link to MILF -- AFP

A local terrorist Maute Group has no link to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesman B/Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. said on Friday.

"We believe that Maute Group has no link to MILF. There might be some who joined other groups whether BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) or Maute," Padilla said in a press briefing in Malacanang.

The government is talking peace with the MILF as well as the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) of Nur Misuari.

Padilla said there also no confirmation if the Maute Group has direct connection with the international terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or ISIS.

"We have to have concrete evidence before we can say that a terrorist group has connection with the big group," he said.

Padilla, however, said Maute Group has pledged allegiance to Jemaah Islamiyah, an Indonesia-based clandestine terrorist network that has links to al-Qaeda and allegedly responsible in the deadly 2002 Bali bombings.

He said when Jemaah Islamiyah lost its popularity, Maute Group gave allegiance to Daesh or ISIS with hope of “getting big support.”

Padilla said the Maute Group occupied Butig town in Lanao del Sur last Saturday to create attention from the international terrorist groups including ISIS or Daesh.

The AFP official said the government troops were able to take control of Butig after almost a week of military operations that killed 62 terrorists.

Meanwhile, Padilla clarified that the government is not talking yet to any terrorist group.

"The condition is that we will talk to them for as long as they have the desire to have a new life," he said.

Padilla said the AFP is also considering the statement of President Duterte that he will exhaust all efforts to talk to the terrorist groups including Abu Sayyaf.

"Our only request is that we must not allow this at the expense of justice because those who have pending warrants or who were already sentence in court must answer for the crimes they have committed," he added.

Padilla said for the terror group members who may have been duped “this is an opportunity to bring out the white flag or sent out feelers.”

He, however, clarified that AFP also supports President Duterte’s warning against the local terrorists “not to wait for the 25th hour and for the bells to toll.”

"So the patience of the military and the government has boundary," he warned.

He assured that the AFP has enough resources to run after the terror groups if they will continue to sow criminal and terrorist acts particularly in Mindanao.

"The Armed Forces have deep pockets to go after them and finish them," Padilla said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=945322