MAGUINDANAO PROVINCE – A thatched house used as hideout by slain Malaysian bomber Zulkifli bin Hir was torched by an unidentified group in southern Philippines, police reported on Wednesday.
Police said the house was burned down late Tuesday, but the military said it is trying to verify the report.
Zulkifli’s hideout in the village of Tukanalipao in Maguindanao’s Mamasapano town was located deep inside the territory of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The rebel group had been accused of killing 44 police commandos who took part on the slaying of the Malaysian terror leader during a top secret anti-terror operation on January 25.
“Wala kaming details doon (sa burning of Zulkifli’s house). We only heard of its pero hindi rin namin ma-confirm kasi nga hindi madaling pasukin yun area at may sightings the day before ng mga armado (sa lugar),” Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the 6th Infantry Division, in Maguindanao province, told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Police said it got the report from village officials. It was unknown whether the MILF or the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters was behind the burning of the thatched house. The BIFF was also accused by the police of aiding the MILF in attacking commando members of the elite Special Action Force.
Police commandos were on their way to re-join more than 300 SAF members deployed near the village after killing Zulkifli and cutting off his finger for DNA analysis when MILF forces, aided by Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, ambushed them that sparked daylong clashes.
The MILF recently surrendered to the military – at least 16 weapons, mostly automatic rifles, including two machine guns – inside the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao.
The weapons were then handed over to the police, but SAF sources claimed the guns had been cannibalized and that many of its parts were either taken out or replaced with defective mechanism.
Mohagher Iqbal, an MILF vice chairman and chief peace negotiator of the group, said the handover of the weapons was a gesture of their sincerity to the peace process. He also denied media reports quoting him as saying that renewed hostilities may breakout in the restive region if the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law is rejected by Congress.
Lawmakers shelved the BBL until investigations into the deadly clashes between SAF and MILF is completed.
At least 18 MILF and five BIFF were killed in the fierce fighting that the Aquino government claimed was a mis-encounter. Muslim human rights groups also claimed that 7 civilians were also killed by the police, but this could not be independently confirmed.
The MILF signed a peace deal with the Aquino government last year and the recent fighting is now threatening not only the peace process, but the presidency of Aquino as public outcry for his 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. (Mindanao Examiner)
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