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Esperon: AFP ready for spillover of violence


Philippine military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr said government security forces have been pre-positioned to avert any possible spillover of violence once the "punitive actions" against selected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) start in Basilan. Interviewed in Camp Aguinaldo Monday evening, Esperon said troops were now closing in on the position of the MILF fighters responsible for killing 14 Marine soldiers on July 10. Ten of the 14 fatalities were beheaded and mutilated, although the MILF had denied that its fighters were responsible for the beheading and mutilation. In the same interview, Esperon said it was possible that the MILF would make good their threat in launching attacks in other areas in southern Philippines, including in Lanao del Norte. "There are also forces that have been pre-positioned to take care of spillovers because we do not want spillovers…They can probably do that but that threat must not threaten the basic right of government to defend its citizens," Esperon told reporters. Rebel chief peace negotiator Mohaguer Iqbal earlier said the MILF would be holding the military responsible should fighting escalate in other areas, warning that the impending "punitive actions" would also affect the peace process. Peace talks between Manila and the MILF have been stalled since September last year over the issue of ancestral domain. On Iqbal’s warning of a spillover, Esperon said: "Let us see if our countrymen want beheadings, let us see." But the AFP chief was quick to add: "We are not thinking of that yet but what we are thinking of is simply to punish the perpetrators. For any self respecting republic, it must be able to enforce its will against violators of the law." Esperon had already given the ground commanders the green light to commence the military operations after the MILF leadership failed to comply with his one-week ultimatum for the secessionists to turn in their erring members. The ultimatum expired last Sunday. "There is no extension of the deadline. Any delay that you are seeing now is all meant to make sure that are targets are accurate but are troops are moving, we have completed the transport to Basilan of the required forces," he said. Esperon justified the pursuit against those responsible for the gruesome murder of the Marine soldiers: "If we do not punish the beheaders, there would be future beheaders because they will think that beheading people is perfectly alright." Esperon likewise rejected Iqbal’s position that under the ceasefire agreement signed by the MILF and the government, it should be the MILF which should be punishing members who are found to have committed wrongdoing. "We have always believed that punishing the barbaric act does not have to fall under the ambit or within the ambit of the peace process. It simply has to be simply covered by the laws of the land. Murder should be punished," he said. The MILF had refused to yield those responsible for killing the 14 Marines, insisting that what had transpired in Tipo-tipo was a legitimate encounter. - GMANews.TV

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