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| Southeast Asia |
| Army blamed for escalating feud |
| 2002-06-13 |
| Mayor Muslimin Sema yesterday urged an investigation into the deadly clash in nearby Datu Piang town in Maguindanao, saying someone appeared to be orchestrating hostilities to "sabotage" the peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Misuari [sic] also faulted the armyâs 6th Infantry Division for an escalation in the fighting, which left nine gunmen and two soldiers killed last Tuesday. Damn. I was hoping MNLF would collapse under the weight of its "leadership"... Investigation has shown that the armed conflict was between the groups of Commanders Tamano Mamalapat and Basco Tutin, who were said to be fighting for control over a piece of land in Datu Piang. According to the military, Tamanoâs group on Tuesday clashed with Bascoâs group and soldiers were sent to pacify them but they were fired upon by Bascoâs men. Sounds like a pretty good reason for the government troops to fire back. Civilized countries don't tolerate shoot-outs among armed gangs... Fighting ensued and hours later, Basco lost nine men as against two soldiers killed and five others wounded. Air force bombers also joined the fight against Bascoâs group, which retreated to the jungles. About a dozen, however, reportedly surrendered. Sounds fair... But local residents claimed that Tamanoâs group was supported by the armyâs 37th Infantry Battalion and paramilitary units (CAFGUs) under Commander Genuine Kamaong from the very start. There were also those who counted the killed at 16, including seven from the army. Basco also lost his 18-year-old son and his headquarters were completely overtaken by the joint forces of the military and Tamanoâs followers. Basco yesterday vowed to join the rebellion against the government because of what happened. Hates it when he loses, does he? Sema criticized the militaryâs action, saying there is no need for them to launch ground and air assault considering that the area had been identified for development where the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is involved pursuant to the Manila-MNLF peace agreement. Y'mean they shoulda just let them fight it out? That doesn't make any sense... The military, however, maintained that they were in pursuit of members of the Pentagon kidnap gang holding a South Korean hostage in Central Mindanao. Additional special forces troops have been sent to scour hinterland areas around Palimbang and Maitum towns where the âPentagonâ gang is believed to be hiding Yoon Jae-Kun, army spokesman Lt. Col. Nardo Balboa said. Yoon, 45, was seized by Pentagon members in February and is the last foreigner held by kidnappers in the southern Philippines. âThe pursuing troops are now scouring the mountain where the hostage is being (held) by his abductors,â Balboa told reporters here. And they happened to stumble across a shoot-out between two groups of thugs in the sticks and joined in. They were supposed to ignore it? Officials said the shadowy Pentagon group is composed mostly of renegade members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the countryâs main Moro armed group now negotiating peace with Manila. MILF is the Saudis' pet project in the P.I., which gets entirely too much respect and recognition from Manila. Pentagon is what they do to pick up spare change until the Soddy checks arrive. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |