ZAMBOANGA CITY, 15 December 2005 — Insisting that Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists were recruiting new fighters in violation of a cease-fire agreement, the military yesterday said it would file a protest with the government peace panel.
“We maintain what we say and we have documents to back our reports about the MILF violations of the cease-fire. They continue to recruit and train rebels in Mindanao,” said Col. Domingo Tutaan, the chief of staff of the military’s Southern Command.
“While the military supports the government peace process, it said it will not allow the MILF to use the cease-fire agreement and negotiations to build up its forces,” Tutaan said.
Tutaan was reacting to a statement by presidential peace adviser Ramon Santos that there were no indications of an MILF violation of the fragile truce agreement signd between the two sides in 2001.
Santos on Tuesday chided Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan for accusing the MILF of secretly training recruits and indoctrinating them to carry out suicide attacks.
Adan warned that the Southern Command will not take any violations lightly and allow such “deceptive strategy to continue.”
Santos warned that such statements with potential incendiary effect should be coordinated with the government peace panel.
Tutaan said the military was only doing its duty.
“We continue to observe and support the primacy of the peace process, but the military also has to perform its mandate for the conduct of internal security,” he said.
Adan and Tutan said their statements were based on verified reports of MILF activity.
One report came from villagers in Tungawan town near Zamboanga City, who said they saw armed MILF rebels training recruits in the hinterlands.
Zamboanga City officials also said that the MILF were allegedly recruiting young men in the Muslim enclave of Taluksangay.
An unidentified van driver in Zamboanga City also told the police that he drove a huge group of MILF recruits from Basilan, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi last week to the province of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Military sources said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was briefed by Adan about the MILF trainings when she visited Zamboanga City on Saturday.
Capability Building
The MILF also denied the reports and accused some elements of the military of trying to scuttle the peace talks, now on its final negotiations.
A statement posted on the MILF’s website luwaran.com said: A good partner in peace-making is one that is strong and is capable of fulfilling part of the deal.
“It is a must in every peace negotiation that there should be a high level of trust and confidence between the parties, otherwise their efforts will be in vain.”
Khaled Musa, an MILF’s deputy chairman, said Adan’s accusation was provocative and unfounded.
“The MILF nowadays is mainly conducting capability-building, either as a requisite for sound organization or in preparation for nation-building just in case the peace talks succeed,” Musa said.
The MILF said Adan’s statement was so serious that it could affect the ongoing peace talks.
It said it has filed a protest against Adan with the government peace panel and Malaysia, which is brokering the peace talks.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu admitted that the MILF has been regularly training its forces, but all these were part of a regular program to enhance the skills of its members.
“There is nothing illegal about these activities. The MILF has not violated the cease-fire agreement. We are sincere with the peace talks,” he said.
Kabalu appealed to the public to support the peace process. “Help us realize this dream, join us in our search for just and lasting peace,” he said.
