Malik is a thinking enemy, admits AFP

By Ronron
April 24, 2007

The Philippine military described on Tuesday renegade Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander Ustadz Habier Malik as a “thinking enemy.”

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said this is the reason why there have been no encounters in Sulu in the last two days between government troops and the group of Malik.

“We have a thinking enemy. If they are in this location, and they see a movement of our troops towards them, they can (leave). They are mobile,” Bacarro said of Malik’s group in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo.

He denied that the AFP lost track of Malik, the reason why there is a lull in the ongoing pursuit operations against the rebel leader.

“They (government troops in Sulu) know where Malik is, his general location… There are just constraints that you compete with all like on the terrain, access to the area,” Bacarro explained.

He said the government troops are also just “pre-positioning” before they strike against Malik and his men.

The AFP is hunting down Malik following his “unprovoked attacks” through mortar shelling starting April 13 in Panamao town, Sulu. A civilian and many other soldiers have already died, while scores others were wounded since that time and when the military fought back.

A P1 million reward was already put up by the AFP for any one who could provide information that would lead to the arrest or neutralization of Malik./DMS