Security concerns may delay pullout of MILF in some areas

MANILA, Philippines - Security concerns may delay the pullout of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces from some areas in North Cotabato, the government's chief peace negotiator said on Saturday. Chief government negotiator Rodolfo Garcia said the MILF forces in Tapodoc village in Aleosan town was concerned about security, after shots were fired in the area Friday night. "Ang complication, pag nag- withdraw, gusto mo ng security. Inaayos natin 'yan ngayon. I am very hopeful and confident na maaayos ito at matutupad sa lalong madaling panahon ang pag-alis (The complication in the withdrawing is security. We are fixing that now. I am very hopeful and confident this will be settled soonest)," Garcia said on government-run dzRB radio. He said the MILF's concerns stemmed from an incident Friday night where shots were fired in Tapodoc village. Citing initial information reaching him, he said civilian volunteer groups and an MILF group exchanged gunfire. He said this might have been due to a misunderstanding. "Dahil nagkaroon ng putukan medyo nag-alanganin ang MILF sa Dunguan. Akala nila may hostile intention (The exchange of fire prompted doubts in the MILF forces in Dunguan village)," he said. Garcia said that as of Saturday morning, government forces had been pulled out from Tapodoc so that MILF's withdrawal could continue smoothly. "Siyempre natural lang siguro na isaalang-alang nila ang seguridad habang papaalis sila sa lugar (It's just natural that the MILF will have concerns for its security while it is withdrawing)," he said. Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana, chief of the government’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities, said hundreds of rebels that were preparing to move out of Dunguan village in Aleosan went on a defense position due to the fighting. At about 5 p.m., Sealana said government militiamen at the nearby village of Takudok went on a defensive position and subsequently engaged undetermined number of MILF rebels who entered the village, amid fears that the secessionist rebels would attack the community. “When they (militiamen) saw the MILF, they thought this was an attack so the fighting broke out," said Sealana, adding that Army forces later reinforced “just to protect the civilians." He said the fighting prompted the residents to evacuate. Sealana said the MILF claimed that the rebels that entered Takudok were part of the security group for MILF commanders who took part in the earlier negotiations held in Dunguan village, for the repositioning of the MILF forces to Maguindanao. “They were left at Takudok and the native Cafgu and CVOs (Civilian Volunteer Organizations) living there thought it was attack...It stalled the pulling out (of the rebels in Dunguan) and they went on defensive position," said Sealana. Sealana said the rebels thought that the military were preparing to attack them “but I told them that is not the case. The military action is based on their (MILF) action in Takudok area. The military were there to protect the civilians and properties because they might commit arson." - GMANews.TV