MILF involved in Mamasapano atrocities, viral video, SAF insists

An official of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force on Tuesday maintained that members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were indeed part of the alleged "overkill" of police commandos in the Mamasapano incident, including a viral video showing at least one trooper being shot at close range.

In a phone interview with GMA News Online, SAF spokesman Captain Jayson Baldos pointed out that among the SAF troopers featured in the video was PO1 Joseph Gumatay Sagonoy.

"Hindi ba isa sa firearms na sinauli ng MILF sa gobyerno ay kay PO1 Sagonoy?" he said. "Kung hindi sila 'yung nasa video, bakit nasa kanila 'yung baril ni PO1 Sagonoy?"

In its report submitted to the Senate on Tuesday, the MILF said the viral video "does not clearly show that it was BIAF [105th Based Command] responsibile for this."

The MILF fact-finding report said that while its fighters used the full force of their weapons, they were not involved in the mutilation of the bodies of the police commandos.

"It is a known fact that there are other armed grounds in the area, including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and private armed groups. Any of these groups could have entered the encounter site after the MILF pulled out of the areas after a ceasefire was affected, as was in fact witnessed by the withdrawing 105BC men," it added.

Meanwhile, SAF director Chief Supt. Moro Virgilio Lazo refused to comment on the issue.

The six-minute video clip, entitled "Story behind of Mamasapano," was uploaded by a certain Zaldy Baldz Suson.

The video, believed to be taken by one of the attackers, showed a wounded trooper on the ground, being shot several times until he was dead.
 
After the death, the attacker then proceeded to the other dead troopers, and also stripped them of their gear and equipment.
 
The video, which draw flak from angry netizens, also showed other gunmen taking the gear of other SAF troopers on the ground.

More than 60 people, including 44 police commandos, were killed during the Mamasapano clash with the BIFF and the MILF last January 25.

Baldos refused to comment on the other issues tackled in the report of the MILF, saying he has yet to read it. —NB/KG, GMA News