MILF Lanao leaders urged to surrender

CAMP BILAL, Munai, Lanao del Norte — Still basking in the glory of victory, more than 500 soldiers of the 9th, 67th and 2nd Scout Ranger battalions proudly showed journalists the main headquarters of the 5th Division of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) they captured last Monday as their commanders urged the three BIAF leaders in the Lanao provinces to surrender.

Major General Cristolito Balaoing, 4th Infantry Division commander, said that with the fall of Camp Bilal, they have delivered a strong message to the MILF.

"We have delivered the message that we can be where we want to be," he told The STAR.

Balaoing urged the MILF fighters, especially their three leaders, to surrender or suffer the consequences.

He said unless Commander Yahya Loksadato, Commander Bravo and Commander Minsupala and their men yield and lay down their arms, the military will pursue them in heaven or in hell.

Camp Bilal and its satellite camps, located on top of the Mt. Gurain ranges in Lanao del Norte, fell to the military on Monday after 10 days of intense assault that resulted to the deaths of countless Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels and three soldiers of the 9th IB and wounding one Scout Ranger.

Nine journalists from Cagayan de Oro City and three reporters from Iligan City visited Camp Bilal Wednesday to see for themselves what the soldiers have to go through and their sacrifices for democracy and peace and order.

During a briefing with the journalists, 4th ID spokesperson Lt. Colonel Johnny Macanas said amp Bilal was left untouched during the 2000 all-out war against the rebels because of the difficulties the soldiers have to go through to penetrate it.

"Our government troopers have to pass through several perimeter defenses before they were able to enter this camp," he said. The map of the complex showed at least seven perimeter defenses scattered throughout the complex, with three in Barangay Tambo, Munai.

Lt. Colonel Ricardo Rainier Cruz, commander of the 9th IB, said it was very possible that the camp was used by the Moro rebels to manufacture homemade bombs for use in sabotaging vital government installations as they found at least 20 kilos of ammonium nitrate already mixed with gasoline and other fuel in the hastily abandoned camp when they finally arrived at the top, having driven away the rebels.

"The ammonium nitrate in the sack was already mixed with fuel ready to be put into containers to be made into bombs," he said.

Aside from the bomb ingredients, the soldiers also found an Icom antenna, 50 pieces of bandoliers, one improvised rocket-propelled grenade, 60 mm mortar, cable wire for solar drier, subversive documents written in Arabic and a tattered MILF uniform.

Also found was Loksadato’s combat pack, which bore his initials and which contained important documents and information, according to Capt. Ruben Guinolbay of the 2nd Ranger Battalion was surrounded with defenders)," he added. But Camp Bilal eventually fell. — With Lino dela Cruz