Fresh clash breaks out between troops, MNLF rebels in Basilan

COTABATO CITY, Philippines -Firefight broke out once more between soldiers and Moro National Liberation Front rebels, along with Abu Sayyaf Group bandits in Basilan on Friday.

Quoting initial reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, the military said  the fresh encounter occurred around 9:45 a.m. in Lamitan City.

In a radio interview, Lamitan vice mayor Roderick Furigay said the firefight took place less than a kilometer away from city hall.

He said the residents of four villages-- Bulanting, Colonia, Balobo and Cabobo-- have been evacuated.

Furigay, chairman of the city peace and order council, said armed villagers and government combatants drove the rebels away, but three more groups harassed Moro and Christian enclaves in Barangays Bulanting, Lagasan and Kulay Bato, triggering more clashes.

Friday's hostilities in the city was preceded by a series of encounters in the area’s Colonia District, which began when followers of Misuari attacked  villages.

Civilian volunteers fought the attackers for about half a day in last Friday's skirmishes that waned only when the rebels retreated to surrounding hinterlands bringing at least eight wounded companions.

The encounters at Colonia District left a civilian community watchman dead and three Army Scout rangers wounded.

Furigay said the civilian volunteers, policemen and soldiers who fought rebels that attacked Barangays Bulanting, Lagasan and Kulay Bato Friday morning were in a  better position to repel the rebels.

Furigay has described as a “cat-and-mouse game” the hostilities in the city, which has been recurring since Thursday.

All schools in Lamitan City remained closed since skirmishes hit the Colonia area Thursday.

Chief Inspector Almer Ismael, director of the Lamitan City police, said they have deployed security forces to guard telecommunication facilities following text messages warning of bomb attacks by rebels.

Ismael said local government units have also closed to traffic portions of a highway connecting Lamitan City to several towns in the northeast of Basilan to prevent endangering the lives of commuters and motorists.

Lamitan City is the capital of the island province of Basilan, a component area of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Ismael said barangay officials have reported seeing rebels retreating to hinterlands carrying wounded companions two hours after the running gun battles in the three barangays.

Ismael could not confirm the reports.

Furigay said the military was forced to bomb Friday morning the position of the rebels in the three barangays when government forces noticed them attempting to get through the city proper from another area.

“Our constituents, Muslims and Christians alike, are out there helping government forces defend our barangays. This is not a conflict between Muslims and Christians, but a fight between peace-loving people of different religions united against lawless elements,” Furigay said.

Furigay said  the office of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman and Basilan Rep. Jim Saliman are now initiating efforts to deliver relief goods to Lamitan City residents affected by the hostilities.

“We have problems with conveyances linking Lamitan City to Zamboanga City because the seaports are still closed due to security problems,” Furigay said.

Several MNLF rebels, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Abu Sayyaf bandits engaged government troops in Lamitan City last Thursday.

Authorities said six people were wounded  during the firefight.