1,000 MILF rebels repulsed in Pikit

More than a thousand Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas were repulsed by the military as they tried to recapture their former stronghold in Pikit, North Cotabato, the Armed Forces’ Southern Command (Southcom) reported yesterday.

Southcom chief Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya said the hijacking and hostage-taking of some 50 bus passengers by the MILF in Pikit on Monday was part of a diversionary tactic for the initial assault by the rebels.

Although the passengers were soon freed, a soldier in the bus and a government militiaman who tried to stop the rebels were shot dead.

Abaya said MILF guerrillas attacked last Monday military forces occupying their fallen enclave, the Buliok complex located on the outskirts of Pikit, blasting the area with mortars and rockets.

Abaya said government forces used attack planes and helicopter gunships to disperse the MILF and halt the rebel offensive.

"It was silent last night (Monday) on the Pikit front. Maybe it was the effect of the bomb run. The MILF rebels were dispersed before sundown," he said.

Abaya said there were no immediate reports of casualties on either the government or MILF side.

Reports from the Armed Forces headquarters in Manila said two soldiers from the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion securing the Buliok complex were killed during the one-hour firefight. Their names were not immediately available.

Field reports in Pikit, however, said two soldiers were critically wounded in the firefight. They were identified only as Pfc. Martin and Sergeant Domingo of the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion.

Three guerrillas identified by local officials as Butukan Kalim, Slik Budtong and Uga Tasil, were killed by government troopers.

In nearby Talayan town, three soldiers, one of them an Army captain, were also wounded after being waylaid by a band of MILF rebels.

Col. Carduzo Luna, head of the military forces in Pikit, said the rebels particularly tried to recapture the two-story mansion of MILF chief Hashim Salamat that was overrun by the military when the Buliok complex fell last month with almost 200 rebels killed.

"It was futile effort on their part. They are just wasting their ammunition," Luna said, remarking that the soldiers easily defended the heavily fortified mansion.

"These rebels have not stopped from dreaming they can regain control of the Buliok complex so they keep coming back and attacking our men from different directions," he said.

The military has deployed additional troops to augment forces securing the 60-hectare complex.

The rebels started their tactical offensive early Monday and continued through the day as a band of 200 rebels reportedly took hostage the bus passengers in Pikit alongside their offensive.

Abaya said even after the rebels sustained a setback in their offensive, reports indicated they were massing up their forces and planning for a series of tactical maneuvers against military units surrounding Buliok.

Capt. Onting Alon, deputy civil-relations chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the rebels are pressing their attacks on Pikit.

He said the rebels would slowly crawl into position and open fire with their B-40 rocket grenades and automatic rifles before retreating to nearby Liguasan marsh.

The situation also prompted the postponement of the scheduled inspection of a fact-finding mission by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Mindanao.

"We are all concerned about the security, but we will still push through when the Armed Forces of the Philippines says it’s alright to go. We will go there if we are confident of the security," said Libyan Ambassador to Manila Salem Adam.

‘Return Buliok’

President Arroyo, during a visit in Pikit last week, declared the Buliok complex as a "peace zone," and tasked North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol and town Mayor Farida Malingco to jointly oversee the development of the area.

Buliok is a known gateway to the Liguasan marsh, an area said to be rich in natural gas.

Following the intense fighting last month between government forces and MILF rebels defending Buliok, thousands of families were displaced.

The military has accused the MILF of harboring members of the kidnap-for-ransom Pentagon gang in seeking refuge in the complex when it staged the offensive last month.

MILF vice chairman for military affairs Al Haj Murad said the military offensive has no basis.

Murad blamed the government of enraging the "entire Moro people" when it captured Buliok.

"After the attack of the military against the MILF in Buliok, the entire Moro people was enraged by it. They saw no basis for the attack. They just came out targeting the MILF. There are now people trying to initiate whatever they can to strike back," he said.

Murad maintained the rebels have been given "strict instructions" not to target civilians and concentrate their attack against the military.

But for military and defense officials, Murad’s claim is an apparent attempt by the MILF to cover up their alleged terrorist activities.

Abaya said there was evidence that the MILF was using Buliok as a camp for terrorist training.

"They (MILF) continue to profess (being) a rebel group but in actuality they are engaging in terroristic activities," Abaya said.

The MILF has been blamed for the spate of bombing attacks in recent weeks, including the toppling of power transmission pylons and the Davao airport bombing last March 4 which left 21 people dead and at least 160 others wounded.

Authorities have filed criminal charges against the top leaders of the MILF and 50 known guerrillas over the Davao attack. Rebel leaders then went into hiding following the filing of the criminal case.

Abaya claimed the MILF is no different from the bandit Abu Sayyaf group.

But he declined to comment on whether it is about time to include the MILF in the list of terror organizations.

Because of the recent developments, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said they are now studying to include MILF in the terror list.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said that even before the military occupation of Buliok, the MILF was already involved in several bombing attacks in separate areas in Mindanao.

"So it is not correct to say that what we are doing now is only the aftermath of (the) Buliok (incident)," Lina said.

The MILF has demanded the return of Buliok complex as a precondition for the resumption of the peace talks.

Following the filing of multiple murder and frustrated multiple murder charges over the Davao blast, the MILF declared they will not return to the negotiating table as a consequence of the arrest warrants to be issued against them.

Murad said they will not "recognize" the arrest warrants claiming the evidence was "manufactured" by the military.

But for local leaders like Piñol, it is a "useless" effort talking with the MILF leadership. Piñol said he would rather deal with its territorial commanders to address local problems on security.

"Why do we have to deal with the organization rather than deal with the problems confronting the Moro people in Mindanao?" the Cotabato governor asked. — With reports from Ann Corvera, John Unson, Mike Frialde, Jose Rodel Clapano, Jaime Laude, Katherine Adraneda, AFP