Military justifies operation vs MILF 'bandit group' in N. Cotabato

MANILA, Philippines - The military is now considering the unit of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in North Cotabato as a bandit group for refusing to vacate the villages they allegedly occupied by force. This was according to Brig. Gen. Jorge Segovia, acting chief of the Armed Forces’ command center in the area, as he justifies the shelling of certain villages in North Cotabato Sunday morning. “With the defiance of the MILF 105th base command to pull put from illegally occupied areas in North Cotabato, the group has degenerated into a plain bandit group and considered as lost command,” Segovia said. The military official said Sunday morning’s operation was not covered by the ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF since the enemy faction involved is working “outside (of) the MILF organization. “The ceasefire agreement cannot be binding on any group outside the MILF organization especially when such group is committing unlawful acts,” he said. The Military had aerlier reported taht two soldiers – Cpl. Jennes Freinella and Pfc. Carvelo Tavares – were wounded when an undetermined number of MILF members harassed the troops from the Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion in Piki, North Cotabato. The attackers suffered an undetermined number of casualties, the report said. Segovia said their operations were not directed to the MILF as an organization but only against a certain MILF faction who continues to defy the order to vacate unlawfully occupied areas. “All peaceful avenues have been exhausted to resolve the conflict since the 24-hour deadline last Friday has expired and we are now compelled to resort to the application of proportionate and justifiable force so that peace and order may be restored in North Cotabato,” he said. - GMANews.TV