MILF death toll after ‘ceasefire’ goes u

Separatist guerrillas suffered more casualties in the three-day fighting between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Maguindanao, even as a government official maintained that the "ceasefire" is holding.

The MILF casualties increased to 12 dead and 17 wounded in the three-day fighting with the military in the towns of Datu Piang and Mamasapano, Maguindanao, military officials in Zamboanga said yesterday.

The military said two soldiers were wounded in the fighting that began Saturday midnight in Barangay Pamalian, Mamasapano.

Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camiling, Southern Command chief, said separate fighting also erupted in Poona Piagapo, Lanao del Sur, when soldiers encountered 30 MILF rebels despite the ceasefire forged recently by the government and the MILF.

The fighting in Barangay Cadayunan, Poona Piagapo, stopped when the military rained 29 rounds of 105 mm. howitzer shells and strafed the rebel position with two MG520 attack-helicopters.

The military were forced to resort to heavy bombardment and air strike to thwart the MILF from attacking and occupying villages in Mamasapano.

But despite sporadic fighting, an official negotiating with the MILF insisted yesterday that the ceasefire is holding.

Jesus Dureza, chairman of the government peace panel negotiating with the MILF, said the firefights are isolated and that the peace talks are now focused on bringing development to the region.

He expressed hope that with the ongoing ceasefire, peace talks would led to a peace agreement with the MILF.

"With peace in the region, we can pursue development projects in Mindanao," Dureza said.

He said that Malacañang is keen on organizing multi-sectoral local monitoring teams (LMTs) to resolve nagging problems in parts of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte on the observance of ceasefire.

According to Dureza, the LMTs will immediately intervene in border disputes between soldiers and MILF rebels positioned in strategic patches of land.

"But the primary role of LMTs is to religiously monitor the implementation of the ceasefire," he stressed. — Roel Pareño, Perseus Echeminada, John Unson, Lino dela Cruz