MILF renegade commander "dies of stroke" but MILF military spokesman stresses reports were unverified

CEBU, Philippines - Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) officials yesterday revealed receiving information that its renegade commander, Ameril Ombra Kato, died Saturday evening.

Kato is facing at least 84 multiple murder cases in various courts for staging bloody attacks in Mindanao in 2008. He was one of the three MILF commanders who went into a bloody rampage in Central Mindanao following the Supreme Court ruling that the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain with the government was unconstitutional.

The agreement could have given the MILF control over an expanded autonomous Muslim region but was opposed by local officials.

Hundreds of people, including women and children, were killed during the atrocities committed by Kato and his men.

A report by news website Interaksyon quoted MILF legal counsel Michael Mastura as saying that Kato died on Saturday in Toril, Davao City.

The report said Matsura sent a text message saying that Kato had died under the care of his first wife.

Von Al-haq, military spokesman of the MILF, confirmed receiving the reports but clarified that these had not been verified.

“That is the information we received, that Kato died yesterday (Nov. 26) night at around past 6 p.m.,” he said in a text message.

“No one has verified this. Even the relatives have yet to verify (the information),” he added.

Text messages about Kato’s supposed death have been circulating around Cotabato City since Friday.

But the information relayed by the text messages were different, claiming that Kato died in his lair at the boundary of Maguindanao’s adjoining Guindulungan, Datu Saudi and South Upi towns, after suffering from stroke.

Military officials said they are still validating the reports even as they offered medical assistance to the former MILF commander.

On Saturday, the MILF through its website confirmed Kato suffered a stroke after his recent meeting with former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chief Nur Misuari.

MILF said Kato is now bedridden and could hardly speak, despite efforts by doctors to contain the paralyzing effects of the attack.

“An unimpeachable source, who requested anonymity, disclosed that Kato had suffered so much stress after some of his commanders protested his meeting with Misuari, who is largely considered as a government man,” an article posted on the website read.

Kato’s spokesman Abu Misri Mama said the meeting with Misuari was cordial.

“They did not talk anything very serious. It was just like a typical visit of a brother Muslim to a brother Muslim,” Mama said.

Mama, however, disputed reports that Kato collapsed while traveling with his men in the jungle somewhere in Maguindanao last week.

He said Kato fell unconscious for about two minutes while taking a break from a long hike. Mama said Kato later regained consciousness and recovered.

Other sources, on the other hand, revealed Kato suffered a stroke five days before. He was reportedly being accompanied by his first wife and died while on board a vehicle that was to bring him to a hospital in Davao City.

“Maybe the leadership core of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement decided to bring him to Davao City for medication to avoid detection because there are 82 warrants for his arrest,” a local official said.

A relative said Kato was to be brought to the Davao Doctors’ Hospital where he was to be confined as either Aliman Samsodin or Salik Mantato to hide his real identity. — Philippine Star and AP/JPM