MILF will stop attacks if gov’t agrees to ceasefire

COTABATO CITY — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said it will not stop clandestine attacks on military positions in Central Mindanao unless the government agrees to a ceasefire, the separatist group’s central committee said yesterday.

Al Haj Murad, MILF vice chairman for military affairs, said their attacks at critical stretches of the Secretary Narciso Ramos Highway in Carmen and Midsayap towns in North Cotabato were only part of their counter-offensive against the military.

This developed as MILF rebels attacked an Army detachment in Payawan, Pantar, Lanao del Norte at dawn yesterday. At least one guerrilla was killed in the ensuing firefight.

1Lt. Leah Lorenzo, commander of Bravo Company, informed Lt. Col. Salvador Pegalan, commander of the Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion, that some 40 MILF fighters attacked her detachment as they awaited the convoy escorting members of the Organization of Islamic Conference’s fact-finding team to pass on their way to Cagayan de Oro City.

Pegalan said MILF rebels also harassed an Army detachment in Barangay Kilala in the outskirts of Marawi City yesterday morning, but were repulsed by MNLF integrees.

Last Friday, at least seven soldiers and policemen were killed and 27 others were wounded when MILF rebels ambushed in Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur an Army group awaiting the arrival of the OIC fact-finding team.

The OIC mission has been visiting parts of Mindanao to evaluate the implementation of the 1996 peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Murad denied insinuations by the 6th Infantry Division here that the rebels intended to ambush the foreign dignitaries as they passed through the highway.

"Our attacks are only aimed against combatants and paramilitary forces fighting our men in the field," Murad said. "And unless there is a ceasefire, there will be no let-up in our counter-offensive."

The military has accused the MILF of staging recent attacks in Central Mindanao to attract the attention of the OIC, which helped broker the MNLF peace accord. — With Lino de la Cruz and Roel Pareño