MILF won’t surrender fighters in July 10 clash

By Ronron
July 19, 2007

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Thursday stood pat on its decision not to surrender to the government its fighters who were involved in the July 10 clash in Basilan.

In a phone interview with Camp Aguinaldo reporters, MILF Public Information Officer and chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said their decision is based on the ceasefire agreement between the MILF and the government forged in 1997.

The government has repeatedly demanded the MILF to turn over its members who ambushed the Marine soldiers last July 10 in Al-Barkah, Basilan, killing 14, 10 of whom were mutilated, and wounding nine others.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the Marines were just passing through Barangay Guinanta in Al-Barkah after checking reports about the presence of abducted Italian Catholic priest Fr. Gian Carlo Bossi in the area.

But the MILF said the Marine troops entered an MILF territory without prior coordination, as provided by the agreement between the government and the secessionist group.

“All we need is to look at the ceasefire agreement. Under the agreement, it is the principal who should be the one imposing punishment to its members who are found to have committed offenses. That is what we should be following,” Iqbal said when asked if the MILF leadership is willing to surrender their fighters.

He reminded the government that it is signatory to that agreement.

“If that (turn over MILF fighters to the government) is what the ceasefire agreement says, we are going to do it. But the provisions state otherwise… It is us who should be imposing the punishment for any grave infraction. That is our discretion,” Iqbal said.

On Thursday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is preparing criminal charges against members of the 114 Base Command of the MILF and of the Abu Sayyaf Group for the deadly encounter.

Iqbal maintained though that their fighters “committed no offense,” saying it was a legitimate encounter that happened last July 10.

Having denied already beheading the soldiers, Iqbal said the MILF is still interested in finding out who committed it.

Told about the AFP’s planned punitive actions in Basilan, Iqbal said: “We are used to that all-out war. We are ready to defend ourselves.”

Iqbal said it has about a thousand fighters in Basilan./DMS