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THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has admitted that fighters
identified with their group could be behind the series of attacks in
Mindanao, as alleged by the military. However, those offensives
were not authorized by the MILF’s leadership.
At Malacañang, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza
said he hopes that the ceasefire mechanism of the ongoing peace
process in Mindanao could halt sporadic clashes between the
government and the MILF.
The MILF made a clarification in response to the
claims of Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano that the MILF
is responsible for a total of 40 incidents from May 1 to June 30
alone, including ambuscades, raids, harassments and eight sabotage
operations against government-owned transmission lines and other
power generating facilities.
In a statement posted over the MILF’s website,
deputy information chief Khaled Musa said his group cannot confirm
nor deny the military’s claim because they are still
validating many of the reports. But what is confirmed is that
those incidents were led by “frustrated” elements within the
MILF over the government’s attitude on the peace process.
But according to the MILF, the military also
committed ceasefire violations beginning May 1, 2008, and they have
the data to support it
The alleged government ceasefire violations
based on the reports submitted by the MILF Ceasefire Committee
includes 15 cases of arrest against MILF members by the military and
police; two cases of MILF members killed; 12 uncoordinated movements
of military units; three cases of human rights violations related to
a mass peace assembly; and a case of desecration of graves in Sulu.
MILF ceasefire committee chairman Toks Ebrahim,
on the other hand, said the allegation of violation from both sides
will remain as allegations because there has been no validation made
by the joint Government-MILF Ceasefire committee and the
Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team.
At Malacañang, Dureza said that the Ceasefire
committee could address the issue of alleged violations committed by
the MILF and the government.
-- Jefferson Antiporda with Angelo S. Samonte
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