Defense chief tells MILF to discipline ranks

MANILA, Philippines – Defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro has called on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to discipline its ranks in the light of information that last Sunday’s ambush against marines in Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan was staged by rebels backed by Abu Sayyaf bandits.

In an interview, Teodoro said there had been reports in the past that rogue elements of the MILF are colluding with terrorists in staging attacks against military forces in some areas of Mindanao, which, if not addressed, would show weakness in terms of command and control of rebel ranks.

“They should, in so far as the ceasefire is concerned, discipline their ranks. Abu Sayyaf elements are terrorists, bandits and criminals. I don’t see any credible organization which has any worth in their ideals and beliefs colluding with such a group,” he said.

The defense chief said they are leaving it up to the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) to bring the matter to the MILF leadership to ensure that rebel forces are not teaming up with the Abu Sayyaf in conducting any action against government troops because of the existing ceasefire agreement.

But he said they believe that the alleged collusion between the MILF and the bandit group is not widespread within the rebel movement.

Teodoro also said the attack on the detachment of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 8 in Barangay Tong Bato and the succeeding ambush on the reinforcements in Barangay Matarling is a “doubly treacherous act” not only because of the alleged collusion but also because the Armed Forces of the Philippines, through the National Development Support Command, had just turned over a learning center and a five-kilometer portion of an all-weather road in the said town.

A total of 17 soldiers, including a new lieutenant, were wounded in the attacks. 

On the other hand, two from the Abu Sayyaf and MILF were killed in the ensuing firefights.

Teodoro yesterday visited the wounded soldiers at the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City to personally check on their condition and to award the Wounded Personnel Medal to the injured marines.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, AFP public affairs office chief, said in a separate interview that despite the incident, the military would still uphold the primacy of the peace negotiations as the best option in stopping the cycle of violence in the area.

The military filed yesterday a protest against the MILF over the attacks in Ungkaya Pukan town last Sunday and called for the delisting of two commanders that allegedly led rebel forces during the said incident.

The protest, which was filed before the Cotabato-based JCCCH, called for the dropping of MILF commanders Malista Malangka and Hamsa Samanton from their roster.

The protest, Torres said, was done to determine why the attack on the detachment of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 8 in Barangay Tong Bato was carried out when there are certain identified areas where MILF forces could move.