MILF probes deadly Mamasapano clash

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has formed its own investigating body to look into Sunday's deadly encounter between its members and government forces in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao.

The encounter occurred even as the government and the MILF have signed a peace agreement, with Congress currently deliberating a proposed law that will create a new Bangsamoro entity, which is the highlight of the peace deal.

“Our concern is the truth,” MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim said in an undated statement posted on the group's official website. “There will be a lot of speculations as to what happened and until what happened is established with credibility and integrity, the said incident will weigh down our current efforts to bring peace to our homeland.”

The group also extended its condolences to the family of the 44 members of the elite Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) who were killed during Sunday's hours-long clash.

“In order to give meaning to their deaths, we must resolve not to let something like this happen again. To this end, the MILF is convening a Special Investigative Commission (SIC),” Murad said.

“The mandate of the SIC is to gather as much reliable information and interview witnesses to establish the truth,” he added.

The investigating body will be composed of members of the MILF central committee and MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces general staff.

Aside from government forces and MILF, its splinter group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, was supposedly involved in the encounter.

The MILF is hoping to conclude the investigation as “as soon as possible.”

The elite police officers reportedly launched the operation in Mamasapano in order to serve an arrest warrant against Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Commander Marwan, and whose presence had been confirmed in the area.

In its statement, the MILF vowed full commitment to the peace process with the government.

“An enduring peace and justice remain to be our primary objective. In this regard, all actions and pronouncements of our political and military units of the MILF should advance and adhere to this primary objective… with due regard to the safety and security of our people and communities,” the statement read.
 
On Monday, Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF's chief peace negotiator, stressed that the attack launched by their members against the PNP-SAF operatives was “self-defense” on their part.

Murad explained that the government and the MILF have “established protocols” while the peace negotiations take its course.

“It is unfortunate but not entirely surprising that when parties do not follow established protocols lives are placed in harm's way. We therefore recommit ourselves to follow these processes and protocols,” he said.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas had also earlier said that top PNP officials were not informed of the SAF operation in Mamasapano town.

President Benigno Aquino III is set to deliver a nationwide address regarding the Mamasapano clash Wednesday afternoon. —Rouchelle Dinglasan/KBK, GMA News