Infighting between and among troops of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) weakens the group’s position amid the start of another round of exploratory talks with the Aquino administration, the government chief negotiator said Monday.
In his opening statement at the 22nd formal exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, government chief negotiator Marvic Leonen said the two parties are negotiating “under imperfect conditions" due to rido or clan wars within the MILF itself.
“These conflicts and obvious lack of discipline among some of the MILF troops cannot certainly be attributed to the government of the Republic of the Philippines. Certainly, it weakens your position in relation to our principals and to the public at large," Leonen said.
The chief negotiator noted that the government has “mechanisms" to cease hostilities between its troops.
“For the most part we have kept our side tranquil. Should there not be also cessation of hostilities internal to the MILF?" he said.
The MILF, on the other hand, said it has issued a directive ordering its members to stop the infighting, according to a report on GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali."
“The increasing vulnerability to rido between and among troops is indeed becoming an increasing concern on the part of the GPH. We hope that this too is addressed at some points during our formal negotiations," the government chief negotiator said.
People displaced, dead
Leonen cited the conflict between members of the MILF 106th base command and the group of Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato, a “rogue" MILF commander, in Datu Piang.
The conflict has left at least 695 families displaced and, from each of their sides, 14 persons dead, Leonen said.
Since January, government has recorded 17 rido-related incidents involving at least a commander of the MILF base command, according to Leonen.
The rido between some members of the 105th base command and members of the 104th base command, for example, resulted in the displacement of a 1,596 families or 7,980 persons from six barangays in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat, according to government statistics.
In the evacuation centers, Leonen said at least four children died. From the direct fighting, at least 12 died and another 12 were wounded, he added.
Not a healthy sign
The government peace panel’s senior military adviser, Brig. Gen. Restituto Aguilar, echoed Leonen’s call for a stop in the internal conflicts.
“Hindi natin nakikita ito as a healthy sign," Aguilar said in an interview aired on GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali" newscast Monday.
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The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is leaving the resolution of the fight between its two conflicting factions as of now, “Balitanghali" reported. But the AFP warned it will intervene once the conflict begins to endanger civilians, the newscast said.
“‘Pag civilians ang kuwan, kailangang i-engage na namin. Ang mandate kasi ng AFP is to protect the civilians," Aguilar said.
As peace talks resume
Meanwhile, at the opening of the talks in Kuala Lumpur, Leonen submitted government’s proposal for peace and development to the MILF.
In a statement earlier, Leonen said the proposal is “guided solely by national interest and based on our consultations with the different stakeholders in the Mindanao peace process."
The panel also formally asked the MILF to clarify the membership Status of Kato, who has reportedly formed his own group.
“We have been asked to specifically request confirmation of what our ground forces are seeing in relation to Ustadz Ameril Umra Kato: that he is no longer within the command and control of the MILF," Leonen said.
The government “cannot accept that he (Kato) is still part of the MILF," he added.
The MILF was established in 1976 by Hashim Salamat as a spin-off of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). According to the official MNLF blog site, the MILF separated from the MNLF because of differences in two beliefs: 1) MILF believes that Bangsamoro Land should be an independent Islamic state and 2) Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters should not enter negotiations with the Philippine government. Salamat passed away in 2003.
“What we want is to achieve freedom and independence for Mindanao’s Muslims. We would rather die fighting for an independent homeland than continue under this oppressive system," a field commanded of the MILF said in a 2003 BBC report.
MNLF members, however, believe that the MILF was created because of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a “divide-and-conquer" strategy. — With Bea Cupin and Paterno Esmaquel II/VS,
