Fresh hostilities between AFP, MILF erupt in N Cotabato

(Updated 11 a.m.) MANILA, Philippines - A predawn firefight between security forces and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels erupted in North Cotabato hours before the lapse of the government's 24-hour deadline for the secessionist group to vacate certain areas in the province, military reports said. Citing field reports, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said about 5 a.m., the Baliki detachment in Midsayap town was harassed by an undetermined number of MILF fighters headed by an unknown commander. An ensuing firefight lasted for nearly two hours although there were no reported casualties on both sides, Brawner said. A military intelligence report said about 6:30 a.m., one round of 81-mm mortar was fired by MILF elements toward the detachment. In a report on dzBB radio, GMA's Jun Veneracion quoted 40th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Diosdado Carreon as saying that the military fired 10 rounds of mortar against MILF positions in the area after secessionist rebels attacked the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment in Brgy. Baliki. “Inengage daw ng mga miyembro ng MILF itong CAFGU detachment sa Brgy. Baligi dito sa North Cotabato kaya ang naging ganti nitong 40th Infantry Battalion ng Philippine Army, e nag-aadvance na nga dito sa lugar, e nagpakawala ng mortar fire, mga 10 na itong sunod sunod," Veneracion said in the report. Veneracion quoted Carreon as saying that the military is currently waiting for the go-signal from the headquarters to barge into the MILF area. “Sinasabi nitong si Lt. Col. Diosdado Carreon, ang battalion commander ng 14th Infantry Battalion, ay pag-lapse ang deadline na yon, ang gagawin nila, mag-a-advance sila, papasukin na nila yung position ng MILF, kung ayaw nilang umalis e mapipilitan silang i-engage," Veneracion said. “Ang sinasabi nitong si Col. Carreon ay naghihintay sila ng go signal sa headquarters para pasukin na itong lugar at iclear ang MILF na nagiintrude daw dito sa civilian population sa paligid," he added, saying Carreon estimated the MILF rebels in the area to be around 300-400, “fully armed," and “well-equipped." Also on Friday, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police said that despite its agreement to reposition its forces in North Cotabato, the MILF continued to beef up its troops in the province with reinforcements from nearby Maguindanao. In an interview on dzBB, ARMM police director Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao expressed concern over the monitored troop movement on the part of the MILF, saying this is contrary to the MILF's earlier declaration that it is acceding to the government's earlier demand for rebel troops to leave certain areas in North Cotabato. Goltiao said the MILF troop movement is particularly a "cause of concern" for police in the ARMM, given ongoing preparations for elections there on August 11. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu confirmed the arrival of additional troops to North Cotabato from Maguindanao, but said this is not a large-scale reinforcement. Kabalu said these reported movement of MILF troops to North Cotabato is the result of the hostilities in Aleosan town, which started last July 1 when soldiers from the 40th Infantry Battalion and civilian volunteers attacked MILF positions in the area. "Hindi ito large-scale reinforcement. Ang nangyari kasi, yung relatives ng MILF elements na nasa North Cotabato , when they learned na yung relatives nila ay under attack ay pumunta sila para tumulong... Hindi naman natin itinatanggi ito," Kabalu said. - GMANews.TV