MNLF joins probe into North Cotabato ambush incident

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Moro National Liberation Front has joined local sectors calling for an impartial probe on Saturday’s brutal murder of nine Moro motorists in Kabacan town in North Cotabato.

Romeo Sema, a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and MNLF’s vice chairman for political affairs, said Wednesday the police, the military and the National Bureau of Investigation should fuse ranks and look extensively into the incident.

“The MNLF condemns the incident. We in the MNLF join the sectors, including the Christian groups in North Cotabato province, in calling for an impartial probe on the atrocity,” said Sema, labor and employment secretary of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The nine ethnic Maguindanaons killed in the incident were on separate motorcycles en route to the town proper of Kabacan from an interior barangay when gunmen blocked their route and shot them one after another using assault rifles.

The victims, Salilangan, Sandigan Zailon, Benladin Dimanalao, Musaid Jaiden, Romeo Balatamay, Katindig Kagayawon, Fahad Mandigan, Budsal Lipusan and Tong Guiaman, died from multiple bullet wounds.

North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco said Wednesday she is thankful to the group of Sema, to the BARMM leadership and to Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, the Catholic parochial figurehead in the province, for their appeals for an impartial investigation on the atrocity.

Catamco reiterated her promise to flex her authority, as chairperson of the North Cotabato provincial peace and order council, in helping put closure to the carnage. 

"I am very sad with this very unfortunate incident. We have to work together in resolving this heinous crime," Catamco said Wednesday.