Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, stressed that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) cannot use the cease-fire mechanisms to prevent the military and the police from serving the warrants even if the lawless elements were inside the so-called areas of temporary stay (ATS) of MILF rebels.
Cabangbang said one of the options for the MILF is for them to surrender Long Malat, commander of the MILF 114 Base Command, and his deputy, Dan “Laksaw” Asnawi, their cohort, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) sub-leader Furuji Indama, and the rest of their men involved in the carnage.
In December 2009 Malat and his men helped Asnawi and 30 other inmates escape in a raid against the Basilan Provincial Jail. Prior to this, Asnawi was arrested and detained for his alleged involvement together with Indama in the beheading of 14 Marines on July 10, 2007.
On Tuesday MILF Vice Chairman for Political Affairs Ghadzali Jaafar stood firm with the front’s decision not to surrender Asnawi and Malat whatever happens and that their fighters in Basilan are ready to “defend” themselves, reinforcing beliefs by military autorities that the rebel organization is harboring or coddling persons charged with murder, frustrated murder and kidnapping for ransom.
“That is correct,” Cabangbang said, “considering that Jaafar himself admitted they have a memo prohibiting criminals from joining and mingling themselves in the organization.”
“If they cannot cleanse their own ranks then they should just allow the Armed Forces and the National Police to perform their mandate.”
As the “word war” between the military and the MILF continues, both sides were building up their forces for any eventuality.
Cabangbang said outlaws cannot prevent law enforcers to go after them who continue to violate the laws of the land with impunity despite government efforts in exhausting all kind of “diplomatic measures” for the sake of genuine peace in Mindanao.
“It’s either for the MILF to turnover Asnawi, Malat and the rest to the government or the MILF will allow us to conduct law-enforcement operations inside the ATS…If there are indications that they [lawless elements] were hiding or being coddled inside the ATS that’s the time we coordinate with the Armed Forces-MILF Adhoc Joint Action Group. But if these lawless elements were not inside ATS then we do not have to coordinate or ask permission to operate and implement warrants against criminals. They [MILF] are not in a position to demand or prevent us,” Cabangbang pointed out.
In a statement, the Army leadership said it has been given the go-signal to get Malat, Asnawi and Indama and all other lawless elements.
“If the MILF rebels offer safe sanctuary for these hardened criminals, they will become criminals themselves and therefore targets in the law-enforcement operations,” the Army spokesman, Maj. Harold Cabunoc, said, citing Article 19 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 1 (c) of Presidential Decree 1829 (Penalizing Obstruction of Apprehension and Prosecution of Criminal Offenders).
The laws, Cabunoc said, are the bases of the formal complaint lodged before the government Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) against those who killed the Special Forces troops. The committee will level off the complaint to its counterpart, the MILF-CCCH.
“Six of the captured soldiers [on October 18] were murdered by the MILF rebels.
“Also, the looting of personal belongings such as uniforms, wallets, cellular telephones; and mutilation of the bodies are included in the said complaint. We are now awaiting for the formal response of the MILF through its counterpart in the CCCH,” he said.
