Six civilians, 5 MILF rebels killed in Cotabato clashes

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Eleven people, five of them suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas, were killed in an attack on two Army detachments in a remote village in Carmen, North Cotabato early yesterday.

The attack came a day after the MILF declared a 10-day unilateral ceasefire — effective June 2 — hoping that the government would cease military offensives against them.

The military said the rebels torched several houses before executing six villagers, one of them a barangay official, in an effort to overrun the two detachments of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Macabenban in Carmen.

Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said about 70 MILF rebels, after sensing they could not overrun the two detachments, set fire to nearby houses and shot at fleeing civilians. The identities of the slain civilians were not immediately available.

"It appears that the MILF leadership has no control over (its) men in the field," Senga said.

Senga said the military has launched pursuit operations against the rebels who staged the dawn attack.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu acknowledged the rebels were responsible, but said those executed were civilian militiamen and considered combatants. He said two rebels and several soldiers were also killed.

"If there were houses burned, that’s because they are situated beside the detachment and are owned by soldiers or (civilian militia)," Kabalu said.

The military said the rebels also took off with the valuables and farm animals of the villagers.

Col. Francisco Simbajon, Army 4th Infantry Division civil-military affairs chief, said the rebels were led by Commanders Bianban and Macaslang, known protégés of Abdulrahman Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo who led the MILF raid on Maigo town in Lanao del Norte last April 24.– With Lino de la Cruz, Roel Pareño