More troops deployed to Maguindanao to ‘de-escalate’ tension

The military has deployed forces and battle tanks to Maguindanao province following Sunday’s skirmish between followers of the Mangudadatu clan and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels that left 11 people dead. The troops’ mission is “to de-escalate" the tension between the warring groups, said Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, the Armed Forces deputy chief of staff for operations, in an interview in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday. “Our [objective] is to de-escalate, prevent escalation of violence by way of presence of the Armed Forces. We have sufficient forces in the area," Bautista said. Col. Prudencio Asto, public affairs officer of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the two groups established blocking positions after the fighting. He said they received information that MILF forces under a certain Falcon was trying to reinforce from Sultan Kudarat province. Asto said a company of Army troops from the 33rd Infantry Battalion was deployed to Maguindanao after the incident to augment existing company assigned in the area. A company is composed of about 100 officers and men. Asto also said a mechanized company, composed of about 10 to 12 battle tanks, was deployed to the area. “It’s better that we have more forces in the area so that they believe that we are out to quell violence," he said. Military reports said about 150 followers of the Mangudadatu clan were visiting a road project at Tenok village in the town named after the family when they were ambushed by about 100 MILF rebels Sunday morning. The rebels were reportedly under the leadership of Tautin Salendab and Nurudin Kalimbol. A one-hour encounter reportedly ensued, resulting in the deaths of 11 people — 10 Mangudadatu followers and one Moro rebel. Among those killed was an uncle of Mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu of Buluan town. Four people were hurt in the clash, three of them from the Mangudadatu side. Tension between the two groups has been ongoing for the past several months due to the MILF’s opposition to the construction of a road project connecting the Buluan-Lutayan road. The Mangudadatu clan reached national prominence in 2009 when the wife and sisters of incumbent Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto" Mangudadatu were killed in a massacre that also left more than 50 people dead. The carnage is blamed on the rival Ampatuan clan. - KBK, GMA News