Lacson wants all-out war vs MILF

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday urged President Benigno Aquino III to declare an all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in light of the clash between government and Moro rebel forces in Basilan that killed 19 soldiers. "It's time for PNoy to do an Erap. Peace in Mindanao cannot be achieved unless a tactical victory is attained first by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines)," Lacson said in a text message to reporters. Lacson, a former National Police chief and current chairman of the Senate defense committee, was referring to the all-out war campaign by the Estrada administration against the MILF in Central Mindanao in 2000. At the time, most of the rebel group's camps, including Camp Abubakar, fell into government's hands. But hundreds of lives of soldiers and rebels were lost, and thousands of civilians were evacuated to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

On Thursday, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also urged Aquino to stop the negotiations since the MILF was supposedly not sincere in its efforts to achieve peace. But the President has rejected the idea, stressing that an all-out war will not help improve the situation. Also, presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles has said that negotiations with the MILF will resume in November despite the bloody killing of 19 soldiers. 'Untie the hands' Still, Lacson said that it is time to "untie the hands" of our soldiers and authorize them to fight the MILF on equal terms and not "handicapped" by the peace talks "characterized by treachery and deceit." "It is odd that our territorial integrity is being threatened from within. The belligerence of the MILF is something that we deserve because we continue to give them that status," he said. "There is only one Armed Forces of the Philippines under only one commander-in-chief. Any other armed group outside the AFP and the PNP and other law enforcement agencies must be considered as enemy of the state and should be treated as such under existing laws of the republic. It is difficult for our soldiers to understand why they should not be allowed to patrol or conduct military exercises in any part of their area of jurisdiction," he added. — RSJ, GMA News