Gen. Arturo Ortiz said discharged from their posts were Special Operations Task Force Basilan Commander Col. Alexander Macario and spokesman Col. Antonio Parlade Jr., for issuing unnecessary statements drawn from his own personal opinion.
“I have ordered the relief of Colonel Macario, who will be replaced by Colonel Ramon Yogyog effective October 21, after further inquiry shows operational lapses on his part,” he said.
He earlier issued similar relief orders to the battalion commander of the 4th Special Forces, Lt. Col. Leonardo Pena, who directed the Army operation in Sitio Bakisung, Barangay Cambug.
Parlade, in a text message, said: “Yes it’s confirmed [I have been relieved as Army spokesman], I just did my job, said what I think was right…I’m happy knowing our soldiers’ voice and sentiments were heard. We are not politicians. We are soldiers, professional soldiers. We are ready to take the bullet [at] whatever cost.”
Ortiz, who will retire on November 13, designated Maj. Harold Cabunoc as Army spokesman.
In previous media interviews, Parlade boldly recommended the suspension of the cease-fire agreement with the MILF, as well as the ongoing peace talks with the MILF to allow the military to conduct pursuit operations against the group of Long Malat, deputy commander of MILF 114th Brigade.
Such statement runs counter to President Aquino’s position that peace talks and negotiations should be pursued with the MILF, notwithstanding the incident.
The Basilan encounter also killed six rebels and 14 other soldiers were reported injured.
On Friday, after the command conference presided by President Aquino in Camp Aguinaldo, the military top brass echoed Mr. Aquino’s position.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (J3) Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said the guidance from the President was for the military top brass to revisit the deployment of forces, intelligence gathering and operations to avoid a repeat of the Basilan incident. Meanwhile, Cabunoc said ground commanders were directed to continue implementing the military’s mandate of going after lawless elements and criminals.
“Dan Laksaw Asnawi is a hardened criminal like Malat. They should be brought to justice to pay for their atrocities and barbarism. Remember, it was Malat who herded a band of rebels that attacked the Basilan Provincial Jail in December 2009 that resulted to the escape of Asnawi and 30 other inmates. Prior to that, Asnawi was arrested because of his involvement in the beheading of 10 Marine soldiers in Barangay Ginanta, also in Al-Barka, in 2007,” he said.
Asnawi was among the MILF leaders who led around 400 armed men in the Basilan firefight.
“We urge the MILF leadership not to coddle Malat and Asnawi. They should be turned over to government authorities, if not, the MILF is answerable to whatever happens for coddling hardened criminals. Asnawi keeps repeating his barbarism. The six soldiers that we lately recovered were captured alive but they were executed by the group of Asnawi. What they did was they executed them hogtied and dumped their dead bodies in Barangay Bato-Bato to make it appear they were killed during the firefight,” he said.
“We mourn for the death of our fellow soldiers but we do not call for any move that might endanger the peace talks. We abide to the guidance and policies of AFP General Headquarters as directed by our commander in chief,” he added.
Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines General Headquarters spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said they are preparing for the filing of charges of multiple murder and frustrated murder before a regular court against Malat and Asnawi.
“This on top of the filing of ‘strong protest’ before the joint GPH-MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities,” Burgos said.
Cabunoc said the Army was also investigating the three ambush incidents conducted by the MILF in the towns of Alicia and Kabasalan in Zamboanga Sibugay to identify the rebels involved for the filing of charges in court.
The incidents left dead four soldiers, including a junior officer of the 102nd Brigade and, four policemen.
Brigade commander Col. Santiago Baluyot said all the government security forces in Zamboanga Sibugay were on red alert following the MILF attacks.
Senior Supt. Jose Gucela, director of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Police Office, said all police forces in the province were also on red alert following a bomb explosion in Margosatubig town.
He said they were also on red alert considering the proximity of the province from Zambonga Sibugay.
Gucela said they were still investigating the motive of the explosion that happened at about 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and partially destroyed an elementary school classroom.
