Midsayap attackers kill captive soldier

COTABATO CITY – Retreating Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels allegedly killed an Army soldier and abducted a civilian, who were both captured at the border of Midsayap, North Cotabato and Datu Piang, Maguindanao yesterday, less than 24 hours after the same group executed another civilian captive.

Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), said the body of Sgt. Isidro Elas, of the 38th Infantry Battalion, was found at a secluded stretch of Midsayap-Datu Piang Highway. The victim’s wristwatch and .45 caliber pistol were missing.

Ando said Elas, who was in civilian clothes, and a still unidentified companion, were riding a motorcycle en route to Midsayap from Laguilayan, Sultan Kudarat, when guerrillas of the MILF’s 105th Base Command that had set up a checkpoint on the highway accosted them.

Elas’ companion has not yet been found even after the Army launched a search and rescue operation.

Ando said the rebels did not return to their camps after attacking barangays Rangaban, Tugal and Mudsing in Midsayap last week, and instead have set up checkpoints at the Midsayap-Datu Piang Highway, a violation of the ceasefire forged to stop the fighting in Midsayap.

"An unsuspecting Sgt. Elas and his companion took that route because they were already aware that the government and the MILF already forged a low-level peace agreement covering several areas in Midsayap after last week’s hostilities there," Ando told reporters.

Ando said Elas went home to Laguilayan to attend the birthday celebration of a relative.

"He was on a three-day pass," Ando said.

The joint government-MILF ceasefire committee forged last Sunday a truce and the repositioning of military and rebel forces away from the three barangays in Midsayap where soldiers clashed with rebels who attacked the residents and looted their houses.

The MILF claimed that the hostilities started with the land dispute between the villagers and rebels. The fighting forced more than 5,000 civilians to evacuate from the three villages.

Ando said a unit from the 6th ID was deployed to search for the missing companion of the slain Sgt. Elas.

"The person is still missing. We are still validating reports by evacuees that the motorcycle (of Elas) was also taken by the rebels," Ando said.

Elas sustained gunshot wounds at the back of his head, stomach and buttocks.

The soldier was killed less than 24 hours after MILF rebels abducted Untong Abdullah in Kapinpilan, Midsayap. Abdullah worked as a messenger for Edgar Ostique, president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen in Midsayap.

Abdullah, who was abducted last Tuesday by retreating MILF guerrillas, was shot dead and buried in a shallow grave in Barangay Nabalawag, Midsayap.

The rebels who abducted Abdullah were led by a certain Samal Masgal, Ando said.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu and Von al-Haq, chairman of the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), both said the rebels merely held Abdullah for questioning and were ready to set him free to the joint ceasefire committee.

But in a sudden turnaround, Kabalu told Catholic station dxMS here this morning that the rebels acted on their own when they killed Abdullah.