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Troops recover bodies of 7 slain MILF rebs
ZAMBOANGA CITY Seven bodies of suspected terrorists were recovered by government forces as the death toll in the air bombardment of an alleged terror base in Maguindanao rose to 48, the military said yesterday. The remains found late Friday, however, could not easily be identified as "most were mutilated," said Col. Jerry Jalandoni, chief of the 604th Army Brigade based in Datu Piang, Maguindanao. More casualties from the rebels' side are expected, Jalandoni said, as the airstrikes and artillery barrage launched Thursday hit Butilan Marsh where suspected renegade commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were meeting with Abu Sayyaf leaders and about five to six Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members. "So far, we have received reports that there were 48 missing fighters who were believed killed in the airstrike, including a certain Commander Aguila," Jalandoni said. The ground military commander believes the two JI militants reported killed were a certain Dulmatin and Muayha. A military intelligence report also showed that an unidentified Indonesian died in the massive air raid.
Amid renewed hostilities in Mindanao, President Arroyo has said peace talks with the mainstream MILF does not stop government forces to run after "renegade" guerrillas behind attacks such as the raid on two Army outposts in Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak towns also in Maguindanao on Jan. 9. The Mamasapano assault was blamed on Abdul Wahid Tondok, a renegade leader of a breakaway MILF faction. The MILF heirarchy has disowned the raid, saying it was not sanctioned. Tondok was believed to be with his men, Abu Sayyaf leaders including chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and JI members before the terrorist haven in the marshy area of barangay Butilan was bombed. As the identities of those killed remained unclear, the military nonetheless warned Tondok that his days are numbered. AFP Southern Command (Southcom) chief Lt. Gen. Alberto Braganza called on Tondok to surrender, saying a relentless military offensive against him will not stop. "With the (casualty) figure given on the ground from our intelligence unit, I better advise him (Wahid) to give up because I will not stop running after him and his cohorts," Braganza vowed. The Southcom chief expressed belief that the Abu Sayyaf, a ragtag extremist group said to have links with the al-Qaeda, has been working with JI forces hiding in the southern Philippines amid reports that the two groups meet occasionally with some renegade members of the MILF. Braganza said last Thursday's gathering of the band of terrorists showed that the JI was indeed training guerrillas in the South. "We have been receiving reports on the training activities being conducted by the JI with the local fighters here," Braganza said. He said the reported death of two JI members from the airstrike "is a big blow" to the Indonesian militants' activity in Mindanao. The MILF, which has repeatedly denied having ties with the Indonesian-based JI, complains the latest air attack violated its ceasefire agreement with the government. Resumption of formal negotiations are scheduled next month with Malaysia as third party facilitator. Malacañang, however, said it had prior clearance from the joint ceasefire committee and Malaysian-led IMT. Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye reiterated yesterday in a radio interview the government's policy against terrorism carried out in the Maguindanao military offensive should not disturb the peace process. "Terrorism is our common fight. It is not just a fight of the government but I believe it is also a fight of the MILF," Bunye pointed out. The attack "was not aimed at the MILF," he clarified, but at terrorist cells "that pose a threat not only to national security but to the cause of peace itself." "Very clearly, the objective of the military was to really run after terrorist cells," Bunye stressed. Nonetheless, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they have filed a protest before the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities against the military for alleged violations of the ceasefire pact. Palace communications director Silvestre Afable Jr., head of the government peace panel, told The STAR yesterday that they are still awaiting official notice from Malaysia as to the specific date when formal talks resume. The Malaysian government, he said, had expressed its "wish" to see a final peace treaty reached by middle of this year. Posted by: Steve 2005-01-31 |
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