Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF's chief negotiator, said his group also suffered heavy casualties in the deadly encounter in Maguindanao.In a joint press conference with the government peace panel, Iqbal said 18 MILF fighters were "martyred". Another 14 were wounded.
He said, "I am very hopeful that as soon as the truth would come out the MILF would be vindicated and I think we are doing everything including this press conference so that we would approach the problem on a very objective manner."
Iqbal also appealed to the public, "especially to members of the media… not to fan the emotions of hatred and prejudices."
He said, "The Bangsamoro people have also suffered a lot in the conflict in Mindanao, as a result of several massacres in the various parts of the Bangsamoro. The encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao was not intended by either side. It was a pure and simple misencounter. The operation was intended by the BIFF which is coddling Marwan and Basit Usman."