MANILA, 9 May 2003 — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said yesterday it committed a “tactical blunder” in a deadly attack on Siocon town, but said the action should not justify declaring it a terrorist organization.

The military said 10 civilians, six soldiers, six policemen and six rebels were killed in the May 4 attack, which prompted the government to pull out of informal talks with the MILF scheduled for this week in Malaysia.

In a report on the rebel website, Muhammad Ameen, identified as secretary to the office of MILF chairman Salamat Hashim, said classifying the MILF as a terrorist organization “has long been overdue and expected.”

The government was just “waiting for the right moment and this opportunity has come when the MILF committed a tactical blunder with the death of eight civilians in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, on May 4.”

The government said it considered declaring the MILF a terrorist group, but decided against it for the time being. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered a study of the implications of such a move, and offered a 50 million peso (almost $1 million) bounty on Salamat and top MILF leaders and members.

The MILF has been fighting for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines for more than three decades.

Mohagher Iqbal, chief spokesman for the rebel group, was quoted as saying on the same website that the civilians were caught in the crossfire.

“The tragedy in Siocon is an isolated case and should not be made the yardstick to condemn the MILF,” Iqbal said. “We did not order the shooting of the civilians.”

Iqbal also challenged the government to declare the MILF a terrorist group: “So be it. What is important is that the MILF is a legitimate revolutionary organization fighting for a just cause.”

The rebels seized dozens of hostages and later released all but two — one was found beheaded and the other burned to death, the military said.

Siocon Mayor Cesar Soriano had said what the MILF did was a plain act of terrorism and that it was only proper the perpetrators of the raid are punished.

The attack on Siocon also gave more credence to the military’s claim that the MILF had been violating international laws by using minors.

Soriano said based on accounts of witnesses, the Siocon raiders were mostly young boys and girls. “Majority of the attackers were aged 15, 16 and 17,” Soriano said.

Eduardo Layan, a parish priest in Siocon, said he himself saw some of the raiders. “I even saw them trying to reload magazines. It seems they were not trained well. Older rebels were even coaching them. What was disturbing, however, was that it looked like they were excited at what they were doing,” Layan said.

Christian Vigilantes Strike

In what was feared as the resurgence of tit-for-tat attacks, a military report said yesterday one Muslim girl was killed when Christian villagers, angered by a recent rebel attack on their town of Maigo, in Lanao del Norte province, fired on Muslim houses and burned several huts on Sunday.

The attack was apparently in retaliation for a similar raid by the MILF guerrillas on Maigo on April 24 where the rebels occupied parts of the town and looted homes, the military said.

Maigo is a remote town and the Christian attack was only reported later in the week, the military said.

Soldiers have been dispatched to the town to prevent sectarian violence from escalating, it said.

The attack came amid increased offensives by the MILF against civilian targets in Central and Western Mindanao.

The MILF attacks have left at least 83 people dead and hundreds wounded since March.

MILF spokesmen Eid Kabalu said the government with stepping up attacks on the MILF as part of its discrimination against the country’s Muslim minority.

He maintained that the group was not targeting civilians nor was engaged in terrorism. “We are fighting for freedom. The MILF is fighting a legitimate cause in Mindanao and we are recognized by the international community. We are not terrorists and we are only fighting for our freedom. We have not harmed innocent people,” he said.

As a result of the continuing violence, the Philippine Sports Commission said it’s no go for this year’s Palarong Pambansa in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

PSC chairman Eric Buhain announced yesterday the indefinite postponement of the Palaro despite assurances of the safety of participants by the military and the police.

‘’I respect the declaration of the AFP and PNP about the peace and order in and around Tubod, but after consulting with top sports personalities, we deemed it prudent not to hold the Palaro at this time when there are conflicts in other areas,” said Buhain.

He said the PSC is grateful for President Arroyo’s concern and support for the Palaro “but we also took into consideration the sentiments of the parents, the athletes and other stakeholders before we decided on the postponement.”

Despite assurances from the AFP and the PNP, the Palaro has already been hit by withdrawals of delegations from the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Southern Tagalog, Ilocos and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Buhain said he remained confident that the annual gathering of the country’s future sporting heroes will be held at a new date.

US Told to Stop Meddling

In Cagayan de A Muslim legislator urged US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone not to meddle with the domestic affairs of the country. Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah Dumarpa said Ricciardone was already trying to intrude into the country’s internal problems when he issued a statement that the US might declare the MILF a terrorist group.

Dumarpa said the statement only fueled anger among Muslims toward the US.

She said if the US wants to help achieve peace in Mindanao, then it should bring in more development aid.

[With input from Associated Press & INS]