36 more MILF rebels killed in Pikit clash

PIKIT, North Cotabato – Fierce clashes greeted yesterday’s visit to the evacuation sites here of Libyan Ambassador Salem Adam and leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) initiating back channel efforts to revive peace talks between the government and the separatist rebels.

This developed as 36 more guerrillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were killed in chance encounters which began Thursday night at the town boundary and nearby Pagalugan town in Maguindanao.

Sporadic fighting also persisted as 20 more rebels were reportedly killed in their attempt to block the Narciso Ramos Highway linking the cities of Davao and Cotabato.

Local villagers in Pikit and Muslim leaders have confirmed that the rebels were killed by Army and Marine snipers who spotted them crawling into the periphery of Buliok complex.

One soldier, identified as Cpl. Nicanor Obrero of the 8th Marine Battalion Landing Team, was killed in the ensuing firefights. Eight other Marines were reported wounded.

A band of MILF rebels who tried to overrun a riverside harboring site of the soldiers belonging to the 40th Infantry Battalion in Buliok were also repulsed following an hour-long firefight.

Maj. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said five MILF guerrillas were killed in the skirmishes, which also left a soldier, Cpl. Ulysses Basero, wounded.

Over 200 rebels have been killed following three successive assaults by the MILF since Monday to recapture their former stronghold in this town from military control.

Ando said military reinforcements are still pouring in, anticipating another attack by the rebels.

The deployment of more government combatants in the boundaries of Pikit and Pagalungan came just hours after a fierce gunbattle between MILF rebels and patrolling soldiers from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Battalion in a secluded stretch along the Narciso Ramos Highway in Matanog, Maguindanao.

Ando said the firefight started when the rebels opened fire on the soldiers, instantly killing Pfc. Allan Minal.

One of the slain rebels was identified as Commander Edris Duma, a known henchman of MILF vice chairman for military affairs Al Haj Murad.

Separatist rebels also ambushed two soldiers and killed one of them in Marawi City on Thursday.

Lt. Col. Johnny Macanas, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said Sgt. Aniano Buseco and Pfc. Joey de los Reyes were on board a tricycle when the rebels opened fire, killing the latter.

Initiatives

During their visit here, Cotabato City mayor Muslimin Sema, secretary-general of the MNLF, and Libyan Ambassador Adam yesterday jointly announced a grant from the Libyan government of P1.6 million worth of relief assistance for evacuees affected by the fighting in Pikit.

Libya is one of the 54-member countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) which helped broker the peace pact between the government and the MNLF in September 1996.

The OIC, through Malaysia, is also helping mediate the shaky government-MILF peace talks.

"We need to help one another in furthering peace and development in this region," Adam said.

"I and other Muslim ambassadors are very optimistic the government and the MILF will stop fighting and resume negotiations in Malaysia," he added.

Sema, for his part, said he and the Libyan ambassador are both keen on reestablishing communication with MILF chieftain Hashim Salamat.

"There can be no other sensible means of resolving the security problems in Central Mindanao except by peacefully threshing them out on the negotiating table," Sema told The STAR.

The chairman of the House committee on defense, Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, suggested however that a peacekeeping force of the United Nations (UN), including the United States, should be allowed to go after the MILF. – With Edith Regalado, Mike Frialde, Sammy Santos, Perseus Echeminada, Paolo Romero, Lino de la Cruz, Bong Fabe, AFP