Widow appeal: Finish them off

KORONADAL CITY – The wife of Army Lt. Col. Angelo Benitez who was among those killed by marauding Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas last Monday, called on President Arroyo to use the full force of the military to wipe out the rebels.

“I want justice for my husband’s death. His killers should be punished,” Mrs. Cookie Benitez appealed over Bombo Radyo.

Mrs. Benitez called on Mrs. Arroyo to take all actions against the MILF to give justice to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defending the country’s territories in Mindanao.

Mrs. Benitez said until now she could not accept that her husband is gone.

“It’s really painful to lose a loving husband and good father to our four children,” Mrs. Benitez said.

Benitez, along with six soldiers, was ambushed by MILF rebels in Kolambugan town, Lanao del Norte last Monday while on their way to the headquarters of the Army’s Task Force Tabak in Iligan City.

The MILF rebels, led by Abduraman Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, attacked several villages in Lanao del Norte on Monday, killing at least 40 people, including Benitez.

The rebels also took several villagers as hostages as they burned and looted several houses in the mayhem.

Monday’s attack was the bloodiest since a territorial deal with the MILF stalled earlier this month, just days after government troops drove out the rebels from North Cotabato.

“I hope there will be no grieving widows from our fallen soldiers in this war. I hope the government would do something from this situation to prevent more children crying over the graves of their fathers killed in battle,” Mrs. Benitez said.

Mrs. Benitez said she is planning to meet some high-ranking government and military officials to convince them to be more aggressive in dealing with the MILF.