MILF accuses military of siding with MNLF, endangering ceasefire

(Updated 7:25 p.m.) The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Sunday accused the military of endangering the ceasefire between it and the Philippine government, accusing a Philippine Army brigade of siding with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during fighting in Matalam in North Cotabato.

In an article posted on the MILF news site, the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities said the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade may be to blame if the ceasefire between the MILF and the government collapses.

“We cannot understand the reasons why the 602nd Brigade had been joining the fighting and bombarding the MILF other than their sneaky motive of undermining the ceasefire and the peace process between the government and MILF,” said MILF CCCH member Omar Bayao.

“They are leaving no other [choice] for the MILF but to defend themselves,” he added.

According to Bayao, the 602nd Brigade under Gen. Ademar Tomaro, assisted the (MNLF) by attacking the MILF in Barangays Marbel and Natutunagan in Matalam.

The MILF's local troops had been engaged in skirmishes in the area with the forces of the MNLF's Datu Dima Ambil.

According to the MILF, it had no intention of engaging the government forces, but 602nd Brigade lobbed 105-mm “mortars” against the local MILF forces.

“The MILF had not started the firefight, our troops had been in defensive position and had not been firing at the military because we put above the primacy of the peace process and the ceasefire,” Bayao said.

MILF CCCH head Rasid Ladiasan also said the 602nd Brigade's members were occupying  house vacated by displaced civilians and by the MILF.

"This is totally devoid of respect to mandated duties, human rights, international humanitarian laws, civilian protection and the ceasefire accord,” he said.

Black propaganda

For their part, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson Col. Dickson Hermoso called the accusations as "mudslinging or black propaganda."

He said the Philippine Army joined the fray as the MILF violated their memorandum of agreement during the May 23 Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting that they would not return to Matalam with arms.

"(The MOA) is for MILF members who are not residents of Matalam not to return to their respective point of origins in order to deescalate the situation and for the displaced civilians to return to their abodes," he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Meanwhile, Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Randolph Cabangbang said they didn't "have to side with the MNLF" since the group has already gone mainstream.

"Hindi na namin kailangan sila protektahan kasi they're part of the mainstream already," he told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

Hermoso saidoriginally the MILF members were allowed to go to the area to conduct peace advocacy programs without bringing ammunition.

"Nung pumasok na nga nagkaroon na sila violation kasi nagdala sila ng baril. That started the problem," Hermoso said in a separate phone interview.

The area was also a disputed land between the MILF and the MNLF, Hermoso said. "May interes rin ang MNLF sa lupa kaya na-drag ang institution."

With this, the Infantry Division has filed a protest through the government CCCH against the MILF for its "unfounded accusations" violating the 1997 GRP-MILF General Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities.

"In deference to the ongoing peace talks, the 6th Infantry Division and its units  are sincerely upholding, promoting and protecting the primacy of the peace process," Hermoso said.

Peaceful settlement

The MILF, meanwhile, said a reconciliation ceremony for the peaceful settlement of the conflict between the local troops of Datu Dima and the MILF had been scheduled for June 5. The settlement was arrived at through the facilitation and support of the mayors of Matalam and Pagalungan.

The concerned MILF commander, Dima Ambil, Tomaro, and Talino signing the resolution for a peace settlement last May 23.

But the MILF, citing recent attacks and war posture of Tomaro's forces, said the reconciliation may not happen.

Worse, it said the ceasefire between the government and MILF and even the framework agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) they signed in Malacañang last October may be "adversely affected." — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/DVM/KBK, GMA News