MILF dares AFP to get Liguasan

DAVAO CITY — A ranking official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) challenged yesterday the Armed Forces as well as the visiting US troops to go ahead and expand the coverage of their joint military exercises to Liguasan Marsh where majority of the Muslim separatist rebels are believed to be keeping base.

"All these people do is come to Liguasan Marsh. I don’t know if they could come to think that they have not started their exercises in Basilan yet," the same MILF leader, who declined to be identified, said.

The wide Liguasan Marsh straddles the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato. He said they already feel that the military and the American forces are now also targeting the MILF.

"So, there will be a shift in focus here, from Basilan to Central Mindanao and they will be scouring the Liguasan Marsh for our forces. We expect it and that is why the propaganda of the AFP is now forcing the issue on the MILF," he said.

Authorities have identified the Liguasan Marsh as the haven of the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom group, responsible for the recent spate of abductions in Southern and Central Mindanao.

"They will use the Pentagon and the renewed skirmishes between the government troops and the MILF guerrillas as their excuse in training their sight to Liguasan Marsh," he added.

The same MILF leader also said he was bewildered at the pronouncements of the military on the supposed sabotage by their troops in the rescue effort on the American couple held captives by the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan. — Edith Regalado