MILF hits back, kills 7 soldiers

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Two days after their stronghold was overrun by government forces, guerrillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) retaliated by killing seven soldiers and wounding 11 others in an ambush along the Narciso Ramos Highway in Parang town here at noon yesterday.

Troops from the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion were in a military truck on their way to the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division when they were waylaid by MILF rebels armed with anti-tank rockets and machine guns.

The rebels reportedly positioned themselves on high ground and waited for the military convoy along the highway in Barangay Pimbatan.

The military expressed certainty that the attackers were MILF rebels since they were reportedly armed with shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenades, a signature weapon of the Muslim guerrillas.

Witnesses said the guerrillas even approached the truck to finish off wounded soldiers but immediately retreated after sensing approaching military vehicles on the road.

Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya ordered a manhunt for the attackers.

"I condemn this treacherous attack and I have ordered the military to pursue the ambushers," Abaya said.

The military is trying to maintain a strong presence even as the rebels have launched a series of retaliatory attacks on various military units.

Dislodged from their stronghold in Pikit, North Cotabato, MILF forces have been on the run following days of military bombardment that left nearly 200 soldiers and rebels dead last week.

To prevent further retaliatory attacks from the rebels, Army Spokesman Maj. Julieto Ando said soldiers closed for six hours yesterday the Cotabato-Isulan Highway connecting the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat.

This came after an estimated 100 MILF guerrillas also attacked an Army detachment along the road, Ando said.

Ando stressed the closure of the road was to protect motorists from being caught in the crossfire between government troopers and the rebels.

This is also to prevent renewed MILF attacks, he said.

Ando said the MILF had repeatedly blocked several portions of the highway since 1997 to 2000, during which the rebels usually snatched some motorists as "human shields" against pursuing government troops.

Local officials also said dozens of residents in two barangays along the Narciso Ramos Highway in Maguindanao have also been evacuated for fear of reprisal attacks by the MILF.

Speaker Ibrahim Ibay of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said many of the evacuees started to abandon their homes since last week.

According to Ibay, he already sent emissaries to the MILF commanders in the town to convince them not to launch retaliatory attacks or tactical maneuvers in Barangay Sapad, Matanog and surrounding villages.

On the other hand, Malacañang said military operations are only confined within Buliok complex in Pikit.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said troops are ordered to maintain their presence in the area.

Presidential adviser for the peace process Eduardo Ermita said government troops are also under orders to clear Buliok of land mines left by the rebels.

Trying to buy time

The fighting had threatened to scuttle the peace talks launched by President Arroyo in 2001, but government and MILF peace negotiators yesterday expressed hopes of resuming negotiations.

Despite the developments, a ranking military official said the MILF is not sincere in pursuing peace talks with the government and is just trying to buy time.

According to Army chief Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camiling, the MILF is just taking advantage of the lull in peace negotiations by regrouping themselves.

"We cannot trust the MILF in the peace process because they will always take advantage," Camiling said.

He said that while the Armed Forces is committed in upholding the law in Mindanao, these are being rejected by the MILF.

Ermita earlier stated the MILF is "considering" a meeting with government peace negotiators.

He claimed receiving a text message from a member of the MILF central committee expressing willingness to pursue the negotiations in Kuala Lumpur.

Ghazali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, also told government radio that the MILF has not abandoned the peace negotiations and is waiting for the results of mediation talks between the government and Malaysia.

Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, MILF peace panel chairman, also stated the rebels are "committed to the peaceful solution of the Bangsamoro problem."

Murad said that they strongly adhere to a peaceful "political settlement" of the problem through the peace negotiations.

Murad, however, insisted that the MILF would only return to the negotiating table if the government orders the complete pullout of its troops.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they "are open to (suggestions) of presuming peace talks, but we are observing developments. There should be sincerity and commitment from the government with respect to the peace talks."

Kabalu reiterated their demand for the government to pull out its troops before the peace negotiations begin.

"That is bad. We cannot (pull out), we can never achieve peace if they are like that," Camiling replied.

Ermita, for his part, welcomed the gesture of the MILF in expressing their willingness to talk peace.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), however, hailed the MILF in their decision to conduct guerrilla warfare against government troops.

In a statement, rebel spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said the MILF "is proving its resiliency and ability to win and prevail over the military situation as a whole by maximizing its guerrilla operations to turn the tables on the enemy, instead of being trapped into fixed defensive lines." -with Bong Fabe, Roel Pareño, Lino de la Cruz, Marichu Villanueva, Romel Bagares, Benjie Villa, Artemio Dumlao