Moro guerrillas destroy power transmission lines in Lanao Norte

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels stepped up their attacks by destroying two power transmission lines of the state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor) in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, triggering a massive power outage last Saturday.

Chief Superintendent Dominador Domingo, Western Mindanao police director, said he has ordered the local police to intensify security patrols in the province, where other major Napocor power lines and installations are located.

"The military also sent soldiers to guard vital power lines in the province," he said.

Domingo said the Muslim rebels sprayed the power lines with automatic gunfire.

Authorities linked the group of Commander Bravo of the MILF's 303rd Brigade to the attack, apparently prompted by the Napocor's refusal to pay monthly "revolutionary taxes" and protection money to the rebels.

Power in large sections of Lanao del Norte was restored several hours later by repair crews working with military escorts.

Maj. Salih Indanan, spokesman of the military's Southern Command, said soldiers were deployed to reinforce the policemen.

The attack on Napocor's transmission lines occurred even as sporadic clashes continued between government and MILF forces in North Cotabato.

Hostilities erupted anew yesterday along the Isulan-Cotabato Highway, forcing authorities to close it to traffic to prevent motorists from being trapped in the crossfire.

Maj. Julieto Ando, information officer of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said the clashes broke out just after sunrise when soldiers started clearing strategic stretches of the highway where hundreds of MILF rebels had converged in yet another violation of the ceasefire.

The other day, Capt. Lino Aso, the 6th ID's spokesman, reported that about 200 Moro rebels, led by one Ustadz Amiril Ombra, were seen massing near the highway, apparently girding for renewed attacks.

"The sporadic clashes were still going on (as of press time) and we don't have any clear picture yet of the real situation in the field," Ando said.

Last month, MILF guerrillas blocked the highway, displacing more than 15,000 people, mostly innocent Muslim villagers.

Meanwhile, the technical committees of the government and MILF peace panels wound up their meeting in Cotabato City yesterday, with no consensus yet on the agenda for the formal talks.

"We don't think we can already come up with a final agenda since it still needs a more thorough discussion that should revolve around our main thrust of finding a solution to the age-old problems of the Bangsamoro people," said an MILF official who requested anonymity.

The two panels are set to hold their second round of talks by the end of the month in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

The escalating violence in Mindanao prompted legislators the other day to ask President Estrada to immediately convene the National Security Council.