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Spokesman: Philippine rogue rebel just ill, not dead
 Rogue Muslim rebel leader Ameril Umbrakato, whose forces have threatened the peace efforts of the Philippine government, has fallen ill, said a spokesman for his group on Saturday. However he is not dead despite a number of reports about his demise, said Abu Misri Mama, spokesman of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters Mama said, "Four days ago, (Umbrakato) was walking around the camp when his vision darkened and he collapsed. He regained consciousness three minutes later and told his followers they should go back because he did not feel well."
Mama said that if the he died, they would announce it publicly. The local army commander, Major General Rey Ardo, said he had also heard reports of Umbrakato's death or that he had suffered a stroke, but had not verified them. He repeated an earlier offer to have Umbrakato treated at a military hospital. Von Al-Haq, a spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said he had also heard similar reports but could not confirm them. Umbrakato and his group broke from the MILF after the latter opened peace talks with the government. Umbrakato, thought to have as many as a 1,000 followers, rejected the talks and accused his former comrades of abandoning the fight. He was one of two hard-line MILF leaders who led large-scale attacks across Mindanao in August 2008 after the Supreme Court outlawed a draft peace deal that would have given the MILF control over vast areas of the south. About 400 people died and 750,000 were displaced in that attack. In recent months, members of Umbrakato's "freedom fighters" have clashed with MILF members in disputes over territory. Posted by: ryuge 2011-11-27 |
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