AFP preparing to strike against targets in Basilan

By Ronron
July 23, 2007

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to strike on Monday against their targets in Basilan even as the deadline it set for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to surrender its members allegedly responsible for the July 10 encounter with Marine troopers already lapsed midnight of Sunday.

AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said yesterday the troops in Basilan are still conducting “detailed preparations,” although they can already start “punitive operations” anytime, upon the call of the ground commanders.

On Saturday, the government announced the planned punitive police action against select members of the MILF and the ASG who were allegedly behind the death of 14 Marines soldiers during the July 10 clash if they are not turned over to government by Sunday.

The MILF was defiant of the government demand, saying that it was a legitimate encounter, more so, their members did not commit the mutilation of 10 of the 14 slain soldiers.

“Indeed, the ultimatum of (AFP) Gen. (Hermogenes) Esperon already lapsed midnight of Sunday. From now on, our operational commanders can take a range of actions against the perpetrators,” Bacarro said.

Bacarro said the “detailed preparations” include “arrayal of forces, pre-positioning of forces, pre-positioning of logistics, and implacement of intelligence.”

The AFP will utilize at least 2,000 troops in Basilan for the punitive actions. These are from one Army brigade, one Marine brigade, and additional two Marine Battalions, one of which is yet to arrive there.

The AFP refused to say where the center of the operations will be but Basilan Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Alex Macapantar said it will be in Al-Barkah town, where the July 10 clash happened, and its immediately adjacent municipalities.

Bacarro said they believe their targets, numbering close to 20 personalities, mostly from the MILF while the rest are from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), are still in Basilan.

Macapantar disclosed that residents from five barangays in Al-Barkah have already evacuated to the nearby cities of Lamitan and Isabela to ensure their safety.

He said he already placed the entire police forces in the province under full alert since Saturday for any eventualities that are violent in nature as he admitted that the announcement last Saturday about the conduct of punitive actions has stirred tension among the locals.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said that while he still has to receive reports about actual engagement yesterday between government forces and elements of their 114 Base Command there, he said the latter are prepared to defend themselves when struck.

“Nothing can be done about that,” Kabalu said of the planned punitive actions.

Asked what will be done to their apprehended or arrested targets, Bacarro said: “They will be turned over to the PNP if they are caught alive.”

As of yesterday, the PNP has yet to file criminal charges against the suspected MILF and ASG members involved in the clash as they still await copies of the Death Certificates of the slain soldiers. Macapantar said they will file multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges against five identified MILF commanders, one MILF lost command member, two ASG members, and several John Does.

The elements of the 1st Marine Brigade had just finished checking reports about the presence of abducted Italian Catholic priest Fr. Gian Carlo Bossi and his captors near the clash site last July 10 when they got engaged with joint forces of the MILF, the ASG and other local armed fighters./DMS