Separatist Muslim rebels on a rampage in Mindanao captured a small town in Lanao del Norte as fighting raged for the second day yesterday on a number of fronts, trapping three nuns and leaving at least 47 people dead and several others wounded.
President Estrada, during a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) at Malacañang, directed Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes to prevent the Mindanao conflict from worsening.
The military reported that at least 41 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels and six soldiers were killed in two days of intense gunbattles in Lanao del Norte and Maguindanao provinces.
However, the MILF leadership claimed that only three of their men were slain in the gunbattles.
MILF spokesman Mohaguer Iqbal also said soldiers captured the MILF's Camp Bilal in Lanao del Norte, one of the rebels' major bases.
The military beefed up its forces with the deployment of 2,500 more troops to the battlefronts.
The nuns, identified only as Sisters Monica, Maria Estela and Filomena, were trapped inside the Assumption Convent in Kauswagan town as fighting between the guerrillas and government forces continued for two days.
However, Estela and Filomena fled the convent during a lull, leaving behind Monica.
Meanwhile, two Marine brigades arrived in Caga-yan de Oro City yesterday morning to reinforce the Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade, said Army Col. Ernesto de Guzman of the Armed Forces' Southern Command (Southcom).
Fifteen MILF guerrillas were reported killed in initial wave of fighting as the rebels' simultaneously attacked Bacolod, Kauswagan and Linamon towns in Lanao del Norte last Thursday.
The military said the body of another guerrilla was found along the national highway leading to Iligan City where the skirmishes raged through the night.
"We are really alarmed by the increasing militarization in the Lanao area. We are going to bring this matter before the government peace panel," Iqbal said.
"We have only three casualties. Remains of one of the victims were left at the foot of the bridge in Kauswagan," he added.
Reports reaching the regional Army headquarters said seven soldiers were also killed when their armored personnel carrier was hit by a rebel rocket in Linamon, raising government casualties to nine.
Three civilians were reported slain in the crossfire.
In Talayan town, Maguindanao, at least two militiamen were reported killed and another wounded in an ambush staged by the MILF rebels led by a certain Commander Adzmie.
At least nine soldiers and 20 rebels were wounded in the incident, the military said.
Kauswagan Mayor Moamar Maruhom said the town's police force consisting of seven men did not put up a fight as the guerrillas overran the townhall.
Maruhom said the rebels asked the soldiers to stay away even as they harassed the townsfolk with gunfire.
Provincial officials appealed to the insurgents to leave the Kauswagan municipal hall to avoid further bloodshed.
"We have to get back the town hall and other adjacent areas in the town proper so we could also open the road connecting Pagadian City and Cagayan del Oro City," De Guzman said.
Brig. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, commander fo the Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade, warned the MILF guerrillas led by Commander Abdullah Macasaar, alias Commander Bravo, to withdraw from Kauswagan, lest the military will use all its might to flush out the rebels from the town hall.
Southcom chief Maj. Gen. Deomedio Villanueva alerted his forces for possible simultaneous air and ground assault.
Somehow, the Army's Scout Rangers appeared to have the upperhand in the fighting in Linamon where reinforcement troops recaptured the Lapayan Bridge during a running gunbattle.
The ground troops were backed up by Tora-Tora planes and a helicopter gunship of the Air Force.
Residents of embattled villages in Kauswagan fled their homes and sought shelter in at least three barangays in neighboring Iligan City.
Several of the evacuees were compelled to use pumpboats as roadblocks were set up along the highway.
Passenger buses refused to ply their routes as portions of the national highway were blocked by the rebels with boulders and coconut trees.
Witnesses said the MILF raiders were mostly young men armed with high-powered AK-47 assault rifles, grenade launchers and anti-tank weapons.
Officials of the state-run National Power Corp. have ordered their workers at the Agus 4 hydroelectric plant in Balo-i to leave their posts and go home as two Army platoons arrived to provide security to the facility.
The military said at least one electrical tower was toppled by the MILF rebels in neighboring Lanao del Sur province.
Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Dimaporo called for a ceasefire as some 5,000 civilians jampacked town centers for safety.
Army division commander Brig. Gen. Roy Cimatu said the coordinated MILF attacks violated a ceasefire forged earlier this year to allow for the smooth conduct of peace talks.
Cimatu branded the attacks by the MILF's 303rd Brigade as a "treacherous act," and accused the rebel unit of being a "springboard of terrorism" in the South.
MILF vice chairman for political affairs said the attacks were meant to pressure the military to immediately call off its offensive against the MILF in Central Mindanao.
"Our forces are just reacting to the military offensive being conducted in Central Mindanao," Jaafar said.
Time bombs set up by the MILF guerrillas on a ferry killed at least 45 passengers earlier this month in Ozamiz City.
Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said the attack was a "breach of the trust and confidence that has been building up as a consequence of the (peace) negotiations."
He justified the Army's fierce retaliation, saying "we have to react appropriately. The roads are going to be cleared and we believe that in due time, we will be able to restore our authority in the area."
Emerging from the NSC meeting, Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director General Panfilo Lacson said there was only a "stand-off" and not a take-over of Kauswagan by the MILF.
"It is still a touch-and-go situation there as reported by the Chief of Staff," Lacson told reporters.
The MILF has been fighting for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao for the past 21 years. It began formal peace talks with the government early this year.
Iqbal said the renewed fighting indicated that both sides should continue with the peace process.
"The peace process must move forward," Iqbal said in a radio interview. -By Lino De La Cruz,