MILF: MILF submits its Special Investigative Report on Mamasapano incident to IMT & Senate

Posted to the MILF Website (Mar 25): MILF submits its Special Investigative Report on Mamasapano incident to IMT & Senate

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) submitted its Special Investigative Commission Report on Mamasapano incident to the Head of the Mission of International Monitoring Team (IMT) on March 22, 2015.

The MILF also furnished Senator Grace Poe with the copy of said report in response to the Senator’s request dated March 9, 2015.

The report was done by Special Investigation Commission members namely Hussein Moñuz, Toks Ebrahim, Von Al Haq, Ustadz Abu Ubaidah Agkong, and Ustadz Said Abdulsalam.

The report said the Mamasapano encounter last January 25, 2015 started when the SAF forces fired upon first the members of 105th Base Command who were on their way to Sitio Amilil to check local clashes (Rido). Two MILF combatants were killed in the assault.

The report said the BIAF members were justified in fighting back after it was fired upon first by the SAF commandos in Tukanalipao.

The report further stated there were 17 killed and 25 wounded Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) members. Three civilian casualties were identified as Badrudin Langalen (21), Sarah Pananggulon (8) and Mohamad Ambilang (33).

Langalen left his house early morning of Janauary 25 to charge his celfone at Tukanalipao market. He never got to return home and was later found dead with hands tied behind his back and with multiple gunshot according to the report.

It is believed that he stumbled with the men of 55SAC. His body was found in the site encounter together with the bodies of 55SAC.

Sarah was sleeping in her house in SItio Inug-og, Brgy. Pembalkan, Mamasapano in the early morning of January 25, 2015 when they roused from their sleep by the bursts of gunfire. They moved out of the house with her parents and siblings in order to escape. However Sarah’s body was hit by bullet and died.

The report points out SAF survivor PO2 Christopher Lalan for commission of human rights violation when he killed four MILF men sleeping inside the Langgal (small makeshift mosque) who were in no position to defend themselves.

The MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) undertook steps to effect ceasefire and prevent bloodshed, however it was hampered by weak celfone signals in the encounter site or by drained battery due of the power outage the night before.

The report said fierce fighting was ongoing when the CCCH and International Monitoring Team intervened and despite heavy fighting, MILF Base Commander Ustadz Wahid Tundok arrived at the encounter site to talk to some of the forces to cease firing before 1:30 in the afternoon. 

“However, most of the SAF’s 55 SAC had already been killed in the course of the intense fighting even before the order for a ceasefire was received in the ground,” according to the report.

The Special Investigation Commission found the following undisputed facts:

 

1.The PNP SAF did not coordinate their entry and operation in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano with the existing coordination mechanisms such as AHJAG and the CCCH of the Peace Panels.

 

2.The BIAF forces residing in Mamasapano were not informed of the PNP SAF operation conducted on January 25, 2015.

 

3.The MILF CCCH was the first to inform their counterparts in government of the unfortunate encounter in Mamasapano on the said date.

 

4.The MILF CCCH was the first to suggest to their counterparts in the government to immediately proceed to the encounter site to find ways to effect ceasefire and disengage the fighting forces.

The report said the MILF forces saw the bodies of the 55th SAC members were purposely piled which suggests they were used as human shields. As for use of unnecessary force, the report said the fighting became so intense at some point adverse forces were shooting at each other with only 3 to 4 meters distance between them.

It recommends MILF’s filing of protest regarding the violation of ceasefire by the PNP-SAF. Armed confrontation between the two forces would be inevitable without coordination. The SAF should also be held liable for the deaths of civilians Badrudin Langalen and Sarah Pananggulon.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/807-milf-submits-its-special-investigative-report-on-mamasapano-incident-to-imt-senate