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| Southeast Asia |
| MILF blames Filippino military for resumption of violence |
| 2004-08-31 |
| The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) blamed yesterday the military for the renewed armed fighting in Datu Saudi, Maguindanao that led to the killing of at least five former Moro rebels. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the fighting broke out when elements of the Army's 37th Infantry Battalion conducted at dawn Sunday a "saturation drive" in villages in Datu Saudi, believed to be occupied by MILF rebels. "The soldiers did a house-to-house search in the areas. Our troops have no choice but to fire shots at the soldiers to protect themselves," Kabalu said. Kabalu also alleged that the military supported the group of a certain "Tamano Mamalacat," former commander of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and now member of the legislative council of the town. Mamalacat also leads a team of armed civilian volunteers in the area, Kabalu said. The soldiers, together with the group of Mamalacat, attacked barangay Bulatucan, also in Datu Saudi, and fought the group of Commander Tutin Basco, a member of the MNLF executive council. After a few hours of firefight, at least five armed men — two from Basco's group and three from Tamano's — were killed. One soldier was wounded during the fighting, said Maj. Gen. Raul Relano, commander of the 6th Infantry Division. The fighting, Kabalu said, stemmed from a decades-old land conflict in Datu Saudi town. Relatives of both MNLF commanders failed to resolve the land issue that started many years ago. Tamano's father, identified as Mamalacat Salimo, and Basco's father, a certain Tutin Sumagka, had fought over a piece of land in barangay Bulatucan. Both fathers are now dead. The fighting in Datu Saudi was the second incident this year involving the groups of Commander Basco and Mamalacat. Last June, Basco was "forced to leave the area when Tamano and his group, together with government troops, attacked barangay Bulatucan that led to the killing of eight of Basco's men, including his son," Kabalu said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |