New AFP chief criticizes MILF's 'weak' leadership

MANILA, Philippines - The "weak" leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) should be blamed for last Sunday's attack on a banana plantation owned by North Cotabato vice governor Emmanuel Piñol, the military said Wednesday. Newly installed Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado said the statement of MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu that the attack was a "personal act" of a sub-commander does not spare the group's top leaders from any responsibility. “Even if its individual acts of their commanders, still by command responsibility, the MILF leadership should be held liable. This is how it works under the principle of command responsibility," Ibrado said. He also said the declaration also showed that the MILF leadership has a weak control over their men. “If they acknowledge that these are their people and they are saying the attack at the banana plantation was an individual act, then that will show that their control over their sub-units and their sub-commanders is weak," said Ibrado. Kabalu had earlier said the attack was a personal act of one Kumander Magtanggol to settle a land dispute and that it had no blessings from the MILF leadership. He also said they are not likely to sanction the involved MILF men. The military said the attack could be a revenge against Piñol, a known critic of the MILF who caused the non-signing of the controversial Memorandum on Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the government and the secessionist organization last year. The agreement, which would have established the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. - GMANews.TV