COTABATO CITY, 25 July 2004 — An army commander has decried the “black propaganda” allegedly being carried out by certain groups against him in particular and the government in general over the scheduled joint military exercises by Filipino and American troops in the southern town of Carmen in North Cotabato province starting tomorrow.

Col. Isagani Cachuela, commander of Philippine Army’s 602nd Brigade, cited media reports claiming he has ordered mayors of municipalities around Carmen not to issue any rally permit to groups planning to stage protest rallies against the joint military training.

In an interview with RMN-DXMY radio, Cachuela said he could not possibly do that, knowing that under the country’s constitution, “the civilian authority shall at all times be superior over the military.”

He appealed to those opposing the upcoming military activity to be “professional in the exercise of their rights to air grievances concerning legitimate issues and concerns.”

Cachuela lamented that the exercise, which was meant to train local troops in the campaign against terrorist activities, was being misconstrued to be in preparation for war because the venue for the exercises is very close to strongholds of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Cachuela said the accusations are “far from the truth” since the training exercise also includes a medical mission for Carmen’s poor villagers.

He noted that even MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu has expressed confidence that clashes could be avoided as long as the participants stick to the declared purpose of the activity, which is to end on Aug. 14.

Kabalu was also reported as saying similar joint RP-US exercises in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Basilan Island had been conducted in the past without upsetting the cease-fire agreement between the MILF and the government.

said the joint military exercises were”internal to the Philippine government.”

Cachuela said the training will be confined to the headquarters of 602nd Brigade, so there will be no chance of any accidental encounters with MILF fighters.

MILF and government peace negotiators are to resume talks soon in Malaysia, which is brokering both sides’ bid to come up with a lasting solution to the decades-long fighting in Mindanao.