Ampatuan 'militiaman' released

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao, Philippines – The military released yesterday a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who was arrested in Shariff Aguak town last week on suspicion that he belonged to the private militia of the feared Ampatuan clan.

Nineteen-year-old Zainudin Mentang, of Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak, was turned over to the government-MILF ceasefire committee by Col. Leo Ferrer, chief of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, in the presence of representatives of the rebel group.

Mentang was arrested by government troops running after armed followers of the Ampatuan clan and was held for questioning by the 601st IB.

“We are thankful to the joint ceasefire committee for having worked out the release of this MILF rebel. He has no criminal record whatsoever and is not a member of any private militia in any town in Maguindanao,” said MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu.

The joint ceasefire committee took custody of Mentang just as the Army’s 6th Infantry Division refuted stories claiming that armed men seized four men in Abdullah Sangki town, about five kilometers southeast of Shariff Aguak.

“There was no kidnapping there as reported by certain media outlets. The four people reported to have been kidnapped by gunmen were actually accompanying soldiers in a secluded area to perform security missions there. They were not kidnapped; they volunteered to act as guides,” said Col. Jonathan Ponce, 6th ID spokesman.  

Ponce said the four men have already returned to their homes.