Mayors denounce MILF atrocities

Local officials of three Central Mindanao provinces have closed ranks to condemn the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) alleged atrocities against civilians in the region.

Led by governors Zacarias Candao and Emmanuel Piñol of Maguindanao and North Cotabato, respectively, the local officials took turns in denouncing the MILF during a meeting in Cotabato City last Jan. 27.

The officials said they wanted President Estrada to know their sentiment against the Muslim secessionist group.

"In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Benevolent, we hereby and jointly condemn all the atrocious acts committed by the MILF forces against the peaceful loving Filipino people in Mindanao," the officials said in a manifesto.

The manifesto was signed by 20 municipal mayors of Maguindanao.

The atrocious acts referred to by the officials were the burning of houses and killing of innocent civilians by suspected MILF members in Sharrif Aguak town last December.

These acts continued in Talayan town where MILF guerrillas seized the town hall, and in a portion of the national highway linking Cotabato and General Santos cities which the rebels closed down in early January.

The Maguindanao officials said MILF acts had not only caused "so much anguish and damage to lives and properties but were clear manifestations of undermining the duly-constituted authorities and the Philippine Government as well."

"The looting and destruction of government properties at the Talayan Hall deprived the populace of the basic services due them," they added.

Piñol, for his part, said 19 mayors of his province had also denounced the hostage-taking by MILF rebels in Barangay Tibao, M'lang town. He added that the mayors complained, too, against the MILF's harassment of farmers in Carmen town.