MILF eyes sabotage in peace process Published: July 6, 2013 KIDAPAWAN CITY — The peace process in Mindanao is being sabotaged by elements out to derail the negotiations to achieve their agenda, this was declared by Moro rebel chief negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal yesterday following reports of text messages saying attacks by rebel forces are forthcoming. “Those are plain and simple black propaganda,” Iqbal said, giving his denial in a text message. To prove that the negotiations are still alive, he said he is leaving for Manila on Friday and for Kuala Lumpur the next day to continue the peace talks with the government scheduled next week. Habib Guiabar, head of the Local Monitoring Team of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in North Cotabato, said the text messages were “products” of individuals who do not want peace in the region. Guiabar said there is no order from the MILF central leadership to launch attacks in North Cotabato or in other parts of Central Mindanao. “Ang nagpapakalat ng ganyang mga mensahe na nananakot ay ayaw lang ng kapayapaan (Those who have circulated those messages that threatened people do not want peace),” said Guiabar. Some residents of North Cotabato were alarmed when text messages began circulating in the province warning them that rebel groups were poised to attack with the Cotabato-to-Davao route as target. Reports also reached the government’s intelligence networks in North Cotabato that armed groups, in full battle gear, were sighted in at least two towns in the province since Thursday. Although none of these reports has been verified as accurate, the police are trying to determine where it came from and where the armed groups were sighted. ”While we’re doing the validation, our higher headquarters had already declared alert status to all the police stations in the province,” Supt. Leo Ajero, chief of the Kidapawan City PNP, said. Lt. Nasrullah Sema, head of the civil military operations of the 57th IB, said the AFP is continuously monitoring all reports even as they are trying to identify the people behind the text messages. “As long as the government and the MILF are talking peace, there is no reason for us to be afraid,” said Sema. Col. Dickson Hermoso, head of the Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) of the 6th Infantry Division, also called the text messages as without basis. ”Alam ng ating kasundaluhan sa 6th ID na nagpapakalat ang ilang elemento o mga spoilers na salungat sa peace talks ng GPH-MILF ng ganitong mga mensahe, (Our soldiers at the 6th ID knew that those elements or spoilers of the GPH-MILF peace talks were behind these text messages),” said Col. Hermoso. Hermoso said the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) could be behind the text messages and branded it as “peace spoilers.” ”The BIFFs are undermining the gains of the GPH-MILF peace talks. But the 6th ID is prepared to address any eventuality that these ‘spoilers’ might launch to sow chaos and uncertainties to any community,” he said. Two weeks ago, people identified with the BIFF attacked President Quirino town in Sultan Kudarat and a village in Midsayap, North Cotabato that killed a civilian and a para-military trooper. Hundreds of residents were displaced as they fled the attack. MB
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 08:14:42 +0000
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