MILF accuses Army of violating ceasefire

MANILA, Philippines - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday accused the Army of violating the ceasefire, saying soldiers fired mortar rounds at its troops last Monday in Matalam, North Cotabato.

The military, however, denied this, saying it merely implemented measures to prevent clashes between warring groups of the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

In a statement posted on its website luwaran.com, MILF said the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade fired mortar rounds at Sitio Manubuan in Barangay West Patadon for almost four hours.

The MILF said the soldiers fired mortars at around 6:14 p.m., a few minutes after troops from its 108th Base Command broke their Ramadan fasting. The firing of mortars stopped at around 10 p.m., the group said.

“While the government soldiers were bombarding the MILF forces the troops of the MNLF started their ground attacks against the said MILF forces,” it added.

MILF claimed its forces did not retaliate since it is fully committed to the ceasefire agreement.

“The MILF Ceasefire Committee had repeatedly asked its counterpart with the government to stop the involvement of the 602nd Brigade as they have been blatantly violating the ceasefire accord,” the group said.

Sought for comment, Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the Army troops did not violate the ceasefire.

He said the Army’s 602nd brigade merely barred some armed men from entering a buffer zone that the MILF and the MNLF had agreed to set up.

“An unidentified group tried to enter the buffer zone and to prevent a confrontation, we fired mortars,” Zagala said.

“They agreed to have a buffer zone and they agreed that we will maintain it and no one should enter it. We did our duty to ensure that the two groups remain separated (from one another),” he added.