MILF vows to return SAF firearms, belongings

MANILA, Philippines — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leadership has decided to return the firearms and personal belongings of the police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos to government.

In a letter to Sen. Grace Poe Llamanzares read during the Senate panel hearing on the clash between the Moro rebels and the SAF on Tuesday, MILF peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal said the move will be done in deference to the peace process between the rebel group and the government.

"I take this opportunity to inform your honor [Poe] the MILF has decided to return the firearms and any retrievable personal effects of the fallen SAF [of the Philippine National Police]," Iqbal's letter read.

The announcement was made after weeks of government appeal to the MILF to retrieve and turn over the stolen materials to restore the government's confidence in the peace process. Other observers, meanwhile, believed that the MILF would refuse to give up the firearms as they would consider these as war booties.

Iqbal said, however, that the MILF regrets that the deadly encounter that killed 44 SAF commandos and dozens from the rebel organization occurred.

He said the group "never wanted that unfortunate incident on January 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao to happen."

Iqbal refused to appear before the Senate committee proceedings on Monday and Tuesday, saying the MILF central committee wanted its own fact-finding body on the clash to complete its work first.

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