‘Censure MILF over attacks’

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — The provincial peace and order council (PPOC) has urged the government peace panel to censure the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for its failure to discipline a notorious band of guerrillas harassing villagers in Talitay, Maguindanao.

The MILF rebels, led by Commanders Markay and Talyo, again attacked Barangay Nunangan in Talitay town the other day, plundering a farming community and setting 19 houses on fire after eight of their followers were killed by militiamen in a running gunbattle.

In a statement, the PPOC, chaired by Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan, said the government peace panel must help the military and the police file criminal charges against the rebels responsible for the atrocity.

Last Friday’s attack by marauding MILF guerrillas on Barangay Nunungan was their second in two months.

The group of Marcay and Talyo earlier killed a village chieftain, burned a dozen houses and carted away dozens of farm animals in an attack in Nunungan.

Col. Jerry Jalandoni, deputy commander of the Army’s 604th Infantry Brigade, said the attack forced dozens of Nunungan residents to flee their homes.

The hostilities erupted when some 200 MILF rebels, led by Markay and Talyo, long wanted for armed robberies, extortion and kidnappings, tried to take over a detachment of local militiamen, provoking a running gunbattle.

As the MILF group traded shots with militiamen, some of the guerrillas looted houses and set them on fire before fleeing after seeing eight of their companions fall in the ensuing firefight.

The PPOC said MILF rebels at the boundary of Talitay, Datu Saudi and Datu Piang towns, all in the second district of Maguindanao, have been violating the ceasefire by attacking villages where their enemies reside, thus displacing innocent villagers.

Eid Kabalu, MILF spokesman, told Catholic radio station dxMS in Cotabato City yesterday that their central committee has nothing to do with the actions of the two commanders.

Kabalu said Markay and Talyo have long been dropped from the MILF roster for their involvement in illegal activities.