ZAMBOANGA CITY—The leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has vowed to impose punishment against its MILF field commander and followers involved in the Monday attack in Lanao del Norte.

Ranking MILF officials said on Tuesday that the front’s leadership is set to conduct an impartial investigation into the incidents to determine who are responsible.

Hundreds of fighters from the MILF’s 102nd Base Command, headed by Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, simultaneously attacked four towns in Lanao del Norte, resulting in the death of more than 30 people including three soldiers, one of them an officer.

Brig. Gen. Hilario Atendido, chief of the military’s Task Force Tabak, disclosed that four soldiers were wounded.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said Monday’s attacks were not sanctioned by the MILF leadership and “there is a standing order not to attack.”

“Definitely he [Macapaar] will suffer the consequences of his action,” Kabalu said.

However, Kabalu said Macapaar will be given the opportunity to defend himself in the course of the investigation, saying “there will be fair investigation” over the incident.

MILF vice chairman for political affairs Gazhali Jaafar said the front will punish any of its leaders and members found to have killed civilians and burned houses during the attack.

Jaafar said the investigation will be conducted by the MILF’s Committee on Cease-fire and Cessation of Hostilities.

He also brushed aside accusations that there is a breakdown in the MILF, saying that “the organization is a big one and just like in a big family, there is always a black sheep.”

Kabalu brushed aside allegations that the MILF leadership has not punished any of its field commanders for the violations they committed.

He disclosed that the MILF leadership has deactivated its 105th Base Command, headed by Ameril Umbra Kato, as a punishment to Kato’s attack on a military outpost in 2005 in the town of Mamasapano, Maguindanao.  

Kato’s command was reactivated in 2006 after the MILF hierarchy instituted reforms and the 105th Base Command complied, according to Kabalu.

Late last month the 105th Base Command, still led by Kato, attacked several barangays in North Cotabato.

In an interview early Wednesday, however, Kabalu said the MILF “will be forced to defend itself” should the government continues its offensive.

“Well, nasa kanila po iyon we cannot prevent them from declaring an all-out war but karapatan naman namin na idepensa ang aming sarili [Well, it is up to the government. We cannot prevent them from declaring an all-out war but it is also our right to defend ourselves],” Kabalu said. (With Claudette Mocon)

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