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Philippine govt gives MILF more time to surrender beheaders
War is coming to Basilan. Lots more at linky.
Acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales on Wednesday said the government has extended the ultimatum imposed by the government against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), DZMM reported. Correspondent Ruby Tayag said that according to Gonzales, the government had given the armed secessionist group more time to validate the list of suspects in the beheading of 10 members of the 1st Marine Brigade in Al-Barka town in Basilan province after a clash between the military unit and a MILF group last July 10.

Gonzales said the MILF would have to be able to determine if the people included on the list are its members. He said the separatist group should surrender its men involved in the gruesome act.

The extension was given to the separatist group days after the Armed Forces of the Philippines poured troops to Basilan. There are already four Marine and Army battalions deployed to the province. Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar, Basilan Police Provincial Office director, said at least 1,000 families have already evacuated from Al-Barka town's Barangay Guinanta.

Thousands of residents from other barangays including, Linuan, Macalang, Danapah, Kailih and Cambug have also left their homes and started building temporary huts in nearby towns, particularly Lamitan.

Temporary evacuation centers have already been put up in nearby Tipo-Tipo municipality and other areas in the province.

The villages left their homes after the military poured troops into Basilan province.

A greater number of troopers were deployed to Al-Barka town, where the perpetrators of the beheading of 10 slain members of the 1st Marine Brigade are believed to be hiding.

Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, deputy commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command, said there are three battalions of the Philippine Marines already placed in the province.

The Marine battalions are being reinforced by an Army battalion. The police in the province have also been put on standby in case an additional force is needed.

Sabban said there are already "selected" targets that have been pinpointed by the military in the province. The military official said the "punitive actions" of the military is only against the bandits responsible in the beheading of the Marines.

Macapantar, meanwhile, said the police in Basilan are on a stand by status. He said the police can help in sealing off Basilan island through checkpoints once the punitive actions start.

As early as Saturday, the MILF placed its troops on a "high alert" status in anticipation of military offensives in their known territories in Basilan.

The separatist group had also warned that the looming war in Basilan may also happen in other provinces in Mindanao. The group said the MILF has hundreds of sympathizers in several provinces, particularly those inside ARMM.


Posted by: Seafarious 2007-07-27
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=194642