COTABATO CITY, 14 June — Mayor Muslimin Sema yesterday urged an investigation into the deadly clash in nearby Datu Piang town in Maguindanao, saying someone appeared to be orchestrating hostilities to “sabotage” the peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Misuari also faulted the army’s 6th Infantry Division for an escalation in the fighting, which left nine gunmen and two soldiers killed last Tuesday.
Investigation has shown that the armed conflict was between the groups of Commanders Tamano Mamalapat and Basco Tutin, who were said to be fighting for control over a piece of land in Datu Piang.
According to the military, Tamano’s group on Tuesday clashed with Basco’s group and soldiers were sent to pacify them but they were fired upon by Basco’s men.
Fighting ensued and hours later, Basco lost nine men as against two soldiers killed and five others wounded.
Air force bombers also joined the fight against Basco’s group, which retreated to the jungles. About a dozen, however, reportedly surrendered.
But local residents claimed that Tamano’s group was supported by the army’s 37th Infantry Battalion and paramilitary units (CAFGUs) under Commander Genuine Kamaong from the very start.
There were also those who counted the killed at 16, including seven from the army. Basco also lost his 18-year-old son and his headquarters were completely overtaken by the joint forces of the military and Tamano’s followers.
Basco yesterday vowed to join the rebellion against the government because of what happened.
Sema criticized the military’s action, saying there is no need for them to launch ground and air assault considering that the area had been identified for development where the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is involved pursuant to the Manila-MNLF peace agreement.
Sema said there is in fact a lot of infrastructure affected by the military assault.
The military, however, maintained that they were in pursuit of members of the Pentagon kidnap gang holding a South Korean hostage in Central Mindanao.
Additional special forces troops have been sent to scour hinterland areas around Palimbang and Maitum towns where the “Pentagon” gang is believed to be hiding Yoon Jae-Kun, army spokesman Lt. Col. Nardo Balboa said.
Yoon, 45, was seized by Pentagon members in February and is the last foreigner held by kidnappers in the southern Philippines.
“The pursuing troops are now scouring the mountain where the hostage is being (held) by his abductors,” Balboa told reporters here.
Officials said the shadowy Pentagon group is composed mostly of renegade members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country’s main Moro armed group now negotiating peace with Manila.
