MILF agrees to leave occupied villages in N. Cotabato

MANILA, Philippines – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas started to withdraw from several villages in North Cotabato yesterday, avoiding a major confrontation after being given a deadline to pull out or face a combined police and military offensive.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Alexander Yano said the withdrawal of the MILF forces in certain “contentious areas” in the province began yesterday morning but some hard-core rebel leaders refused to budge resulting in “a few brief” skirmishes with government troops.

“There were a few brief firefights overnight but no reported deaths or injuries,” Yano said.

But some of the guerrillas belonging to the MILF’s 105th Base Command under Commander Umbra Cato have refused to move out from the villages they have occupied for the past two weeks and even attacked an Army outpost detachment in Barangay Baliki, Midsayap yesterday morning.

Police and military forces retaliated by attacking the rebel positions with mortars and machinegun fire.

Initial reports said most of Cato’s men are still occupying at least six villages in the towns of Pigkawayan, Aleosan, Libungan, Midsayap and Almada.

Around 70 out of an estimated 800 rebels have already left and more are going but an undetermined number refuse to leave, officials said.

“We are presently dealing with a recalcitrant group of MILF which appeared to be disregarding the call of their leaders to vacate certain areas in North Cotabato,” AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said.

“We will apply proportionate and justifiable force, whenever necessary, to ensure that laws are upheld and peace is restored in the province.”

Local officials also claimed the rebels have set up defensive positions in anticipation of the attack from government forces.

Pigkawayan Mayor Herminio Roquero said Cato and his men have set up defensive positions in the villages they have occupied in the town.

“We are apprehensive but ready because of Cato’s continued stand not to vacate places occupied by his followers as this could result in a full blown shooting war,” Roquero told the meeting with members of the Joint Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCH), the military and the police, to find ways on how to resolve the standoff.

The Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Diosdado Carreon also bared receiving reports that some 300 MILF fighters from Lanao del Sur are on their way to reinforce Cato and his men.

North Cotabato Vice Gov. Emmanuel Piñol warned the MILF would launch diversionary attacks to ward off the military offensive against recalcitrant rebels.

“Fireworks could happen, because it has been their strategy to attack other areas as a diversionary tactic,” Piñol said.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., however, said only a handful of MILF rebels led by Cato defied the order to withdraw.

Peace process is working

Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana, head of the government panel in the CCCH, said MILF rebels have moved out from their occupied positions in Barangay Baliki, Midsayap and in Barangay Dualing and Dunguan in Aleosan.

Sealana said the rebels finally agreed to withdraw from the villages after they were ordered by the MILF’s Central Command to pull out.

He said about 100 MILF rebels initially assembled in Barangay Dualing at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday to board pumpboats on their way to Maguindanao.

Sealana though admitted some 400 MILF rebels are still holed up in the boundary of Barangays Kapangi and Kapayuran in Pigkawayan.

Sealana, however, said Cato left his men in the villages and fled to nearby Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao.

Police officials said five of the 14 barangays that were occupied by the MILF have been cleared.

The rebels occupying the remaining nine barangays started negotiating with the CCCH.

Director Silverio Alarcio Jr., chief of the Directorate of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said negotiations are underway to convince MILF to leave at least six villages that they have occupied in North Cotabato province, as the rebels stayed on beyond the government’s 24-hour deadline amid sporadic clashes. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marvin Sy, James Mananghaya, Jose Rodel Clapano, Christina Mendez, AFP, AP