COTABATO CITY, 8 March 2003 — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has agreed to set free the seven soldiers and militiamen captured in battle in Lanao del Norte province, the Front’s spokesman said yesterday.
Eid Kabalu said the MILF has asked the local office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to act as intermediary, “owing to public clamor.”
“The ICRC has given the commitment to initiate the necessary cooperation from both the government and MILF armed forces so that the office could immediately effect the safe release of the POWs (prisoners of war),” he said.
The seven were captured by MILF fighters during an encounter on Tuesday at Baloi and Tubod towns in Lanao del Norte.
A local army commander had acknowledged that seven of his men were separated from a patrol on that day and have been declared “missing.”
Kabalu said the MILF is not demanding anything in exchange for the freedom of the seven.
