Thus, the renegades are no longer covered by the cease-fire and all other agreements between the government and the MILF.

“Ameril Umbra Kato and his companions and followers are no longer covered by all agreements between the MILF and the government,” Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, said in a phone interview.

Jaafar said the declaration was embodied in a resolution signed on September 30 by MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim, a day after the final meeting of the ulamas (Muslim religious leaders) that adopted the recommendation of the MILF to disown Kato.

Kato, former commander of the MILF’s 105th Base Command, leads a splinter group called Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM). He was among three hardcore commanders who conducted massive assaults in 2008 in Central Mindanao that resulted in the killing of at least 60 noncombatants after the Supreme Court (SC) declared unconstitutional the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain that was entered into by the Arroyo administration and the MILF.

“The decision of the central committee, through a resolution, is to expel Kato and his followers. Thus, they are no longer members of the MILF effective August 19. That was affirmed by the ulamas during their last meeting on September 29. The ulamas recognized the MILF as the sole and legitimate representative of the Bangsamoro people presently under the leadership of Brother Murad. They also condemned the action taken by Kato and his followers,” Jaafar said.

Last week Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said they will hold military actions against the BIFM until the MILF leadership officially declared Kato and his group already out of the group and that the negotiating panels of the government and MILF both affirm it.

Oban stressed that since Kato has a string of criminal charges filed in court, the issue on him will be dealt with by the National Police adding that the military is ready to engage the Moro renegades.

In a press briefing last week, the military public affairs chief, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., said pending such declaration, the BIFM was still covered by the Adhoc Joint Action Group and the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities.

Jaafar, however, said that while the MILF leadership has issued its official position against the BIFM, it has yet to discuss the course of action to deal with the renegades as they are occupying Camp Omar, one of the biggest MILF camps in Maguindanao.

“We will discuss that since Camp Omar is one of the recognized camps of the MILF. The central committee will decide on that later,” he said.

Jaafar could not immediately give a categorical answer if the MILF leadership will allow military action against Kato and his followers.

“We have not discussed this issue with the military and the government,” he said.

But while the MILF leadership does not recognize Kato’s group, Jaafar said, “We do not consider them enemy” because they are Bangsamoro people just like the Moro National Liberation Front.

Reached for comment, Burgos said they are still waiting for guidance from higher authorities on how to deal with the situation.