4,000 families flee Cotabato amid gov't-MILF clashes

Some 4,000 families in Midsayap town in North Cotabato have been forced to flee their homes since fighting between government and secessionist rebels broke out Thursday. Online newspaper MindaNews (mindanews.com) reported Sunday that the 4,000 families came from the three villages of Rangeban, Tugal and Mudseng. Romeo Elusfa of the grassroots-based “Bantay Ceasefire" said the residents fled when Philippine Air Force OV-10 planes bombed suspected rebel positions in these villages. Elusfa said fighting stopped at noon Saturday but that village roads were still full of evacuees, including elderly, women and children, who brought their belongings on carts and pulled with them their animals. Volunteers of “Bantay Ceasefire" went to the area to monitor the developments in the latest skirmish between the military and Moro rebels in Southwestern Mindanao. Von Al Haq, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities, said firing stopped Saturday afternoon after both sides disengaged. "But we are still on the watch," he said. The military reportedly mounted shelling and air strike operations against MILF positions in Rangeban and Mudseng. Bantay Ceasefire said at least 16 bombs exploded in the area on Saturday morning. At least three civilian volunteers and an MILF rebel were killed. Two soldiers and several others were wounded as hostilities entered the third day. The wounded soldiers were identified as Pfc. Ventura and Pfc. Montenegro, both members of the 7th Infantry Battalion. One of the wounded civilians was identified as Ronald Calugas, a resident of Rangaban. Lt. Col. Julito Ando, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao, said the military attacked when the MILF allegedly placed civilians in danger. Ando said they have deployed two platoons when MILF rebels “massed" in the barangays. The hostilities started on January 25 when MILF forces under Kumander Yuri Sugod allegedly fired at members of the Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVO), Ando said. He said a firefight erupted between the armed civilian volunteers and the rebels when the reels allegedly tried to rob farmers of their rice harvest. But the MILF denied the allegation, saying the military retaliated instead of pacifying the situation. Both sides have augmented their forces and claimed this was meant to pacify the situation. Al Haq said they hope to bring to the attention of the International Monitoring Team and the Joint CCCH the ceasefire violations in the three-day fighting. The IMT had scheduled a meeting for both committees Sunday in Cotabato City. - GMANews.TV