ZAMBOANGA CITY, 4 October — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday got an unexpected help from a swarm of bees, which sent army troops scampering for safety in the jungles of Maguindanao province, an army spokesman said yesterday.
Ten soldiers backed off with injuries and another was missing after members of the army’s 64th Infantry Battalion stumbled upon a beehive near a hinterland village, Maj. Julieto Ando said.
The soldiers went on patrol after residents reported seeing the rebels, Ando said. All but one soldier have been accounted for, he said.
Hostilities resumed yesterday even as government and MILF peace negotiators prepared for another round of talks.
Military planes and attack helicopters bombarded MILF positions, separatist spokesman Eid Kabalu said.
Kabalu said four OV-10 Bronco bombers and two MG-520 attack helicopters struck rebel encampments on the fringes of Camp Abubakar in Maguindanao.
The sprawling camp was formerly a rebel stronghold until military forces overran it last year. But peace talks allowed some Muslim guerrillas and their families to renovate their destroyed homes.
The talks are to resume Oct. 8-11 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Military forces attacked the MILF without any provocation and this is a violation of the truce accord signed by the Philippines government,” Kabalu charged.
He said the attacks would be formally raised to the two sides’ peace panels, but he expressed confidence the next round of talks would go ahead.
He said yesterday’s offensive “is apparently a continuation of last week’s attack” in the same area, during which eight soldiers and 36 MILF guerrillas were killed.
The army said the offensive was launched after MILF fighters ambushed soldiers patrolling the area. “The rebels attacked the soldiers and we only retaliated,” said local army spokesman Ando.
On Tuesday, government peace negotiators and their MILF counterparts said they had agreed to set up monitoring committees to handle truce violations.
The MILF is also pressing for an independent group from the Organization of the Islamic Conference to monitor the truce and observe the talks aimed at ending its 23-year rebellion.
