ZAMBOANGA CITY, 30 October 2006 - Separatist guerrillas and government troops yesterday swapped charges of truce violation after a clash that an army spokesman claimed to have killed four rebels in the main southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
A military spokesman said army soldiers and militiamen manning a detachment in Buloy village of Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao province were preparing breakfast when they came under fire from Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas.
"The rebels harassed a detachment of government militiamen in the village, forcing the government forces to fight back," said Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the army's 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao.
He said one soldier was wounded and four fallen rebel fighters were seen near the scene of fighting before their bodies were dragged away by their retreating comrades.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu confirmed that their guerrillas were involved in the fighting but accused government troops of starting the fight by shelling rebel positions.
"They are provoking our forces. We did not start the fighting. We were just defending our positions," said Kabalu. He said the MILF will file a protest over the cease-fire violation with a joint government and MILF committee monitoring the truce agreement signed by both sides in 2003.
Kabalu said he was unaware of any report of casualties on either side.
Media reports from central Mindanao said an international truce monitors led by Malaysian Maj. Gen. Dato Mohammad Ismael Khan quickly intervened and prevented what could have been another shooting war.
Kabalu was also quoted yesterday as saying that the clash was started by militiamen under Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan.
"The militiamen of Governor Ampatuan attacked MILF positions in Shariff Aguak, forcing our men to fight back," he said.
In June, dozens of people were killed and hundreds of houses were burned in Shariff Aguak during 10 days of fighting between the MILF and militiamen loyal to local Muslim politicians led by Ampatuan.
Mohaqher Iqbal, chief peace negotiator of the MILF, said the clash was "another blow to the peace process," which hit an impasse in September over the key issue of Muslim ancestral land rights. The MILF has warned that the peace talks with the government could collapse after its leader was charged over a series of bomb attacks in Mindanao earlier in the month.
Police have filed murder and attempted murder charges against MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim for allegedly masterminding the bomb attacks that killed six people. The MILF has denied the charges. (With input from agencies)
