SULTAN KUDARAT – The Philippines is unlikely to get the full report of the investigation by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on the deadly clash between rebel and police forces that left 44 commandos dead earlier this year in Maguindanao province in the restive southern Muslim region of Mindanao.
The MILF launched its own probe into the January 25 clashes after lawmakers accused the separatist group of breaking the truce it signed with the Aquino government when its forces killed members of the elite Special Action Force in the remote village of Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town.
The commandos had killed Malaysian bomber Zulkifli bin Hir in a top secret operation deep inside the MILF territory, but were ambushed by rebels that sparked daylong clashes that even President Aquino – who authorized the anti-terror mission – failed to stop. The fierce clashes also killed 18 MILF and 5 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Mohagher Iqbal, a senior MILF leader and the group’s chief peace negotiator, said they have completed the report and would submit an executive summary to the Malaysia-led International (Ceasefire) Monitoring Team. The IMT is also composed of representatives from Japan, Indonesia and Brunei, and supported by the United States and European Union.
The IMT will also forward the summary to Kuala Lumpur being the facilitator of the peace talks between the MILF and the Philippines, and also to the Aquino government through its government peace negotiator Miriam Ferrer, according to Iqbal.
He said the full report of the MILF on the Mamasapano clash will not be made public. “Internal ang full report ng MILF sa Mamasapano clash at ang tanging maibibigay namin ang executive summary. Sariling imbestigasyon ng MILF ito at hindi namin maaaring ilabas ito sa publiko,” Iqbal told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner, adding they would release the summary report soon.
“This (executive summary) contains the substance of the MILF probe and I want to reiterate that what happened in Mamasapano on that fateful January 25 was a violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Philippine government because there was no prior coordination with the MILF as far as the SAF (Special Action Force) operation was concerned,” Iqbal said.
Many groups are demanding Aquino’s resignation over his failure to prevent the fighting. Aquino called the daylong clashes between commandos and rebels as a “misencounter” between friendly forces.
The MILF signed a peace accord last year, but the peace process is yet to be completed with passage of Bangsamoro Basic Law now pending in Congress following the carnage. Lawmakers shelved the BBL until investigations into the deadly clashes between SAF and MILF is completed. The BBL is important in crafting a new Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.
Aside from the multi-sectoral groups demanding Aquino to step down, lawmakers also wanted him to resign – accusing the President of covering up the deadly clash despite being told by the SAF about the fighting. There were also rumors of a coup d’état and widespread demoralization among members of the police and military.
The Mamasapano clash drew widespread condemnation and is now threatening not only the peace process, but the presidency as public outcry for Aquino’s weak leadership continues to mount.
Lawmakers also joined the police in demanding the surrender of MILF rebels involved in the killing of SAF commandos. But the MILF said it will not surrender those that took part in the clashes.
On Saturday, government troops killed at least 4 BIFF gunmen in fierce clashes in the village of Pusao in Mamasapano town and officials said one of the slain rebels was clad in a police uniform taken from one of the slain SAF commandos.
Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the 6th Infantry Division, said soldiers also recovered firearms and a mortar bomb from the slain gunmen. She said the military offensive is still going on in Maguindanao where the BIFF is actively operating.
She said General Edmundo Pangilinan, the division commander, ordered troops to intensify the assault on the BIFF in the province. “General Pangilinan ordered troops to pin down the engaged BIFF forces that are now constricted in different encounter areas in Mamasapano and Datu Piang towns in Maguindanao,” Petinglay said in a separate interview.
Petinglay said more than two dozen rebels had been killed in clashes in recent days and that at least 13 soldiers were also wounded in the fighting. Pangilinan has visited and pinned medals to wounded troops in hospital.
The military launched an all-out offensive against the rebel group which has been largely blamed by authorities for the spate of bombings and ambuscades of soldiers in Maguindanao.
The BIFF broke away with the larger MILF after its leader Murad Ebrahim opened peace talks with Manila. The group, which is composed of about 300 members, is now waging its own separatist war. (With a report from Mark Navales)
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