AFP stresses need for strengthening of territorial defense in Lanao del Norte

MANILA, Philippines – The military stressed the need to strengthen territorial defense systems in the villages of Lanao del Norte and other provinces that were attacked by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade, urged the adoption of an integrated system to secure the defense of communities in Central Mindanao from being attacked anew by the MILF.

De Leon said the ideal setup is to integrate the efforts of the police, the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVO) into a territorial defense system to protect Central Mindanao.

De Leon said a similar security arrangement is being implemented in Sarangani province, where the civilians, with the help of the military, formed the Barangay Defense System (BDS) to protect the communities from attacks by the MILF.

This developed as the military revealed reports of another impending attack by the MILF.

Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said they have received reports that MILF forces led by commander Ameril Umbra Kato are massing up in some areas of Maguindanao.

Torres said ground forces have monitored the rebels forcibly gathering supplies from villagers in the province of Shariff Kabunsuan.

“We have observed large formations (of rebel forces) in the Maguindanao area. In our pursuit operations we have observed that, and resource generation activities being conducted by (the rebels) in Shariff Kabunsuan,” he said.

Torres said around 30 guerrillas, equivalent to a battalion in the MILF, were seen massing up to consolidate the front’s remaining forces and avoid separate and isolated encounters with the military. – With Edith Regalado, AP