Basilan mayor eyes charges vs military

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A Basilan town mayor whose house was raided on Monday by government troops searching for Abu Sayyaf terrorists said yesterday he would file criminal charges against the military.

Tuburan Mayor Dorie Kalahal said he would file charges against members of the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion for illegal entry, illegal search, attempted murder, frustrated murder and destruction of property.

Kalahal also denied abetting Abu Sayyaf ringleader Aldam Tilao, alias Abu Sabaya, who the military said was hiding in Kalahal’s house and who was the subject of a warrant of arrest.

"Wala akong kinalaman sa mga binibintang nila sa akin (I know nothing of their accusations against me)," Kalahal said. "I don’t know why they did that to me."

Kalahal said he was emerging from his second-floor bedroom to speak with the government troopers when two soldiers posted at the foot of the stairs fired at him.

Raiding soldiers said Kalahal fled to a relative’s house and came out only after Basilan Gov. Wahab Akbar arrived at the scene to investigate.

While Kalahal was unhurt, his nephew, identified as Mudri Musa, sustained gunshot wounds and was transferred to a hospital in Basilan’s capital of Isabela City.

"No words were spoken. They immediately fired at me," Kalahal said, lamenting that he was personally known to the soldiers of the 18th IB, including its commander Lt. Col. Danilo Lucero.

But the military’s Southern Command (Southcom) said the raid was conducted on the strength of four search and arrest warrants issued by various courts.

"The operation was conducted very, very properly. The raiding party was armed with a search warrant issued by competent authorities. We just implemented the order of the court," said Southcom spokesman Lt. Col. Danilo Servando.

The military claimed they only returned the fire of four armed men, believed to be perimeter guards of Tilao, who shot at the raiding party as they were nearing Kalahal’s house.

Tilao, the military said, managed to escape through a backdoor and fled toward Isabela City on a white van.

Nonetheless, Servando said the raid resulted in the seizure of two caliber-5.56-mm M-653 rifles, two M-16 rifles, one M-203 grenade launchers and three Motorola handheld radios, all without permits.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva welcomed Kalahal’s threatened lawsuit which he said should shed light on the military’s charges and Kalahal’s counter-charges.

Villanueva, who also served as Southcom chief before being named to the top AFP post, said it’s not surprising that local residents would support a terrorist like Sabaya because he has many relatives in the area.

"The truth is, I’ve been there before and I know that blood and personal relations always run thicker than our belief that everybody should go against terrorists," Villanueva said.

While Villanueva denied personal knowledge of Kalahal’s involvement with Sabaya, he conceded that local commanders were in a better position to properly assess the situation.

"They are more in a position to determine that because I’m very far and they are there. They should know the situation better," Villanueva said.

He noted, however, that the support Tilao appears to be getting from local residents was spontaneous and not part of a support network established by the Abu Sayyaf.

"They (Tilao sympathizers) appear to be selective on whom to help. They don’t have a system that is being followed. It is not part of a strategy or plan," he added.