ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has agreed to pull out its forces from Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan to avoid a “misencounter” with Marines running after the Abu Sayyaf.
Brig. Gen. Edgardo Gurrea, government ceasefire chairman, said the agreement was forged following a meeting between the joint monitoring action team (JMAT) of the government and the MILF.
“It was discussed and agreed that the MILF forces and their community will be relocated to an area of temporary stay,” he said.
Gurrea said MILF forces were also withdrawn from Barangay Guinanta, where 14 Marines were killed in an ambush and 10 of them beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf last July 10.
“They agreed to be relocated in ‘area of temporary stay’ so that they would not be accused of aiding the Abu Sayyaf,” he said.
The JMAT is overseeing the MILF fighters and the rebel community, Gurrea said.
Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief, has confirmed the relocation of the MILF.
“In this manner we can avoid unnecessary encounters because there has been coordination made with the MILF through the CCCH (Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities),” he said.
In Ungkaya Pukan town, Mayor Joel Maturan said government troops need only to fire round after round of M203 grenades to flush out the Abu Sayyaf terrorists embedded in bunkers in the mountains.
The portable ammunition could hit many directions such as an indirect fire, he added.
Maturan, a combat veteran, has recommended to Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to arm troops running after the Abu Sayyaf with more M203 grenades.
“If the Marines have only dosed the Abu Sayyaf with more M203 grenades so that all those covered in tough and defensive positions will be hit with indirect fire,” he said.
Maturan said more than 40 militiamen under his command were the third layer of defense helping the junior Marine officers that fought the Abu Sayyaf in his town’s border at Sitio Kurilem, Barangay Silangkum, Tipo-Tipo town last Saturday.
The M203 grenades have proven its use in combat against rebels positioned on high ground covered with boulders, trees, heavy dug- ups and bunkers where straight shooting proved futile, Maturan said.
The provincial government of Basilan is undertaking a relief operation for civilians affected by the fighting in several barangays of Tipo-Tipo and Ungkaya Pukan towns.
Cris Puno, Basilan information officer, said they are monitoring the internally displaced people (IDP) who are mostly staying with their relatives.
About 340 families who fled from the borders of Ungkaya Pukan and Tipo-Tipo have been added to the more than 1,000 families that have been evacuating since last month.