Government - MILF clashes intensify despite truce

Fighting between soldiers and Muslim secessionist rebels intensified yesterday in Lanao del Norte despite an existing truce between the two sides.

Reports reaching the Armed Forces’ Southern Command (Southcom) headquarters in Zamboanga City said the renewed hostility erupted in a remote village of Poona Piagapo town.

Col. Jogy Leo Fojas, Southcom chief of staff, said about 50 heavily armed guerrillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked a patrol team from the Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Cadayonan, Poona Piagapo late Friday night.

Fojas said a soldier, identified as Pfc. Taid Arip, was wounded in the initial salvo unleashed by the rebels.

He said the troops retaliated, firing at least 12 rounds of 105-mm. Howitzer shells.

In another skirmish, a trooper was killed while another was wounded when MILF rebels attacked elements of the 26th IB in Munai town, also in Lanao del Norte.

Fojas said the military patrol was on its way to Barangay Tamparan when it encountered about 30 MILF guerrillas led by Commander Top Sider, triggering the firefight.

Fojas identified the slain trooper only as Sergeant Opsima, while wounded was Pfc. Qulawan.

At least four platoons of soldiers were immediately dispatched to reinforce their embattled comrades, and their arrival prompted the guerrillas to withdraw.

Earlier this week, MILF rebels pounded military positions in the town center of Datu Piang in Maguindanao with 30 rounds of 81-mm. mortar shells, forcing some 500 families to flee their homes.

Fojas said the troops fought back with two attack helicopters and OV-10 bomber planes.

Military officials said the ceasefire agreement forged last month between the government and the MILF peace panels has not been fully implemented as some provisions remained to be ironed out.

Meanwhile, the MILF dismissed as a government propaganda the reported surrender last week of a foreign-trained rebel leader and 67 of his followers.

The surrenderors, led by Akraman Salipada, turned in their firearms to the police force of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). and pledged allegiance to the government during the surrender rites held at Camp Pendatun in Parang town in Maguindanao.

MILF spokesman Muhaquer Icbal said the surrenderors were not MILF fighters, but bandits who operated in the second congressional district of Lanao del Sur.

"Most of them have standing criminal cases in the MILF’s Shari’ah court," Icbal said.

The mass surrender was reportedly arranged by ARMM police director Senior Superintendent Akmad Omar.

Asked for comment on Icbal’s allegation, Omar said he has expected the MILF hierarchy to disown its people who surrender to the government.

"That has been a tradition in the MILF. It will really disown its members who avail themselves of the government’s reconciliation program because it will project the impression that its members want to live peacefully, too," Omar said.

Akraman said he has decided to return to the fold of law after he was convinced by Omar of President Arroyo’s sincerity in addressing mass poverty especially in war-torn Mindanao. — Roel Pareño, John Unson