MILF ‘rift’ forces 50 rebels to surrender

CARMEN, North Cotabato — Fifty guerrillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) surrendered Tuesday, worried that the intramurals between two factions would adversely affect the ongoing peace talks with the government.

Led by Commander Pandih Ampatuan, the rebels, many of them relatives of the MILF’s former chairman, the late Salamat Hashim, also turned in 39 assorted firearms, including a caliber .30 machinegun and shoulder-fired B-40 rocket launchers, during a simple ceremony at the command headquarters here of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade.

Ampatuan, who belongs to the MILF’s 110th Command Base, told reporters that he and his men decided to avail themselves of the government’s reconciliation program through the personal intercession of Col. Ruperto Pabustan, 602nd IB commander.

Ampatuan said his group has been seriously affected by the rivalry between the hardliners, or the MILF commanders who are Islamic preachers, too, and the moderates identified with the front’s chieftain, Al-Haj Murad.

"The problem made us decide to avail ourselves of the government’s reconciliation and amnesty program before factionalism (could) further fragment us in the MILF," he said.

Ampatuan and his men, some of them members of the front’s so-called National Guards Division, pledged allegiance to the government in the presence of local officials and representatives of different media outlets.

One of the rebels, Mohammad Lagandilan, said he and many of his companions were also enticed to surrender so they could avail themselves of the livelihood projects of North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol.

Lagandilan said he, in fact, heard last week a radio report quoting Piñol as appealing to MILF rebels to personally see him at his office for them to be given livelihood projects that are viable in their respective communities.

Pabustan said the rebels would be given corresponding cash grants in exchange for the firearms they turn in.