'MILF must stop commanders from linking up with Ampatuan supporters'

MANILA, Philippines - The military warned the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday that preventing authorities from bringing fugitive militiamen to justice could jeopardize the peace process.

Speaking to reporters, Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the MILF must stop its commanders from linking up with members of Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVO) loyal to the Ampatuans.

“We are asking the MILF not to tolerate such alliances,” he said.

“If they (MILF leadership) could control their commanders, their sub-commanders, they should not tolerate these.

“We know that some of these CVOs are facing criminal charges. Some of them were involved in the massacre (in Maguindanao).”

Brawner said the CVOs linked up with the MILF to secure food supplies, while the secessionists are eyeing the weapons and arsenals hidden by the Ampatuans.

“The negotiation with the MILF is important, that is why we are asking the MILF leadership to control their sub-commanders and tell them not to coddle criminals,” he said.

“They can surrender (the CVOs), they can turn them over to authorities.”

Brawner said government troops will engage MILF fighters in combat if they prevent them from running after the CVOs.

“We will continue running after the CVOs,” he said.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they do not have a partnership with private armies.

However, some of their members may have allied with some of these groups due to blood ties, he added.

Kabalu said they will punish their members who join forces with armed civilian groups.

“Definitely we have sanctions,” he said. “But I cannot say right now. We have processes for that.”

Palace hopes reports are false

Malacañang hopes that the reported MILF-CVO alliance is false.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said that the Palace would like to hear from the MILF, as well as the Armed Forces, regarding the report.

“Obviously we would hope that there would be no truth to the rumor because it would obviously be an issue in the ongoing negotiations, which have just started in Kuala Lumpur (in Malaysia) between the government and the MILF,” he said.

Olivar said Malacañang is treating the report as unsubstantiated because the MILF and AFP have not yet given their official statements.

Olivar said some MILF field units act independently of the top leadership.

“A distinction might need to be made between what MILF units in the field are doing and what the top command is authorizing or sanctioning or allowing them to do,” he said.

“Additional information on that report is needed. We don’t want to come to hasty conclusions or premature judgments about these kinds of reports because we are in the middle of an important and sensitive peace negotiation process.”

Olivar said the military and the MILF must be given all the time they need for due diligence.

“The best attitude is to note the reports and give the parties enough time to conduct their respective investigations and make the proper explanations to the public,” he said.

The MILF and the government have resumed peace talks after they broke down more than a year ago.

Representatives of the two sides are in Malaysia, which has been acting as the facilitator of the peace talks.   – Alexis Romero, Marvin Sy