Maguindanao folk alarmed over attacks on government men

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao – Various sectors in the province are pressing for the immediate transfer here of the Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade from Tacurong City following the spate of Moro rebel attacks on government men working on infrastructure projects in areas covered by the ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Tension in far-flung villages escalated early this week when MILF rebels stopped personnel of the provincial engineer’s office from finishing the final stretch of the five-kilometer, farm-to-market road in Barangay Iganagampong.

The rebels crippled their bulldozer with a B-40 rocket and set it on fire, authorities said.

Last Saturday, civilian volunteer Morris Upam, who was guarding road-building equipment in a nearby barangay, was gunned down, according to Maj. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

Dozens of government workers involved in infrastructure projects here, including the widening of the 80-kilometer Maguindanao-Sultan Kudarat Highway, now 52 percent complete, have threatened to abandon their work if the harassment continues.

Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan said the rebels may possibly mount more attacks once the police file criminal charges against those responsible for the burning of the provincial government’s D65 Caterpillar bulldozer.

"They have been identified and the police are now wrapping up its investigation into the incident," he said.

Ampatuan said he is certain that the rebels are bent on sabotaging the infrastructure projects because they fear that the military will gain access to their territories with the construction of new roads.

But Eid Kabalu, speaking on the MILF’s behalf, said the attackers could be members of a "lost command" group.

"The police and the military must investigate these problems deeper to identify the real culprits," he said.