Arroyo assures OIC: No all-out war vs MILF

PAMPANGA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday assured the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that the government has not declared an all-out war against Moro rebels, and that military operations in Mindanao are only meant to bring some Muslim rebels to justice. "We never deviated from the objectives of the peace process. But peace must be anchored on justice. The rampage of lawless MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) groups in Mindanao calls for resolute military and police action," she said during the groundbreaking of the Global Gateway Logistics City here. "There is no all-out war. We are doing this to have all-out peace in Mindanao... We ask all sectors to be with us, including our brothers in the OIC." Mrs. Arroyo justified the pursuit operations against the troops led by commanders Bravo and Umbra Kato, saying they disrupted the peace process. The President said the P10-million reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the two "manifests the government’s firm resolve to hasten the neutralization of these criminals." The OIC groups 57 predominantly Muslim states. It was established in 1969 and was meant to represent the more than one billion Muslims worldwide. Abdulrahman Macapaar alias Bravo, and Ameril Umbra Kato of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces recently launched attacks in some parts of North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao and Sarangani, killing civilians, including the elderly, women and children. The President has ordered pursuit operations against the two commanders and asked the MILF leadership to surrender them. MILF leaders, however, refused to do so, noting they are not covered by Philippine laws. The MILF committed the atrocities after the Supreme Court stopped the signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, which would have provided Muslims greater political and economic power in Mindanao. Casualties Meanwhile, two Army soldiers and 16 Moro rebels were killed in fierce fighting on Sunday in Lanao del Norte, the Western Mindanao Command said Monday. Command spokesman Maj. Eugene S. Batara said members of the 35th Infantry Battalion engaged some 40 fully armed MILF fighters believed to be under commander Bravo in the town of Poona Piagapo in Lanao del Norte. "[The] group occupied four layers of defensive position, which the government troops cleared with the help of artillery and air support from Air Force choppers. The enemy withdrew [ and] abandoned their position," he said. In a separate encounter, the 10th Infantry Battalion also fought MILF members in some areas of Poona Piagapo. "The encounters resulted in two soldiers killed in action and another two wounded in action [also] on the government side," the report said. It added a total of 16 Moro rebels were killed during artillery fire, close air support bomb run, and during combat. "One enemy expired at the hospital," it said. The fire fight, which started around 11 a.m., lasted for more than an hour. Mr. Batara said the military overran two satellite camps of the 102nd Base Command under Bravo in Poona Piagapo and Matunggao towns. He added ferry boat services and land transport have been restored in Lanao del Norte. The military claimed majority of evacuees from Kauswagan, Kolambugan and other towns of Lanao del Norte have returned to their villages. The cost of providing for residents affected by the southern conflict has reached almost P1 million a day, the Social Welfare department said Monday. In a telephone interview, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral said since relief operations began Aug. 12, they have spent more than P7 million in relief goods, of which P6 million was spent last week alone. "At first, our [relief] operation was only in North Cotabato; now it is spread in several provinces of Mindanao, costing the [Department of Social Welfare and Development] almost P1 million a day since last week when the conflict intensified," Ms. Cabral said. The department is conducting relief operations in eight towns in Lanao del Norte, six in North Cotabato, four in Maguindanao, three in Shariff Kabunsuan, two in Sarangani and one town in Sulu. — Alexis Douglas B. Romero, Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld