Mercado, Reyes raise flag at overran MILF camp in Lanao

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado and Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes hoisted the Philippine flag yesterday in a major camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lanao del Norte which military troops overran last Friday.

Maj. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, chief of the military's Southern Command, said at least 41 Moro guerrillas were killed in the week-long offensive on Camp Bilal in Munai town.

Intelligence reports, however, said that more than 70 rebels were killed in the fighting, where an MILF commander, Abdurahman Macapaar, was wounded.

Government forces suffered no casualties in the fighting, Villa-nueva said.

He said a Marine and two Army battalions, which launched the military offensive, also cleared at least nine MILF satellite camps leading to Camp Bilal.

Elements of the 1st Marine Brigade and 4th and 10th Marine Battalions now occupy part of the Camp Bilal complex to prevent the rebels from regrouping.

According to the military, over 300 Moro guerrillas have been killed since the Armed Forces launched the offensive to drive away MILF forces who had occupied several towns in the Lanao provinces.

Meanwhile, everything is back to normal in Munai town after the military retook the town hall earlier occupied by MILF forces.

The Moro rebels burned some houses and destroyed bridges in the town proper before fleeing to Camp Busra. -