Arab News

ZAMBOANGA CITY, 6 October 2004 — Army troops have threatened to attack Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) positions ahead of planned peace talks if they failed to surrender a pistol and belongings of an intelligence agent killed allegedly by rebels in the southern region of Mindanao.

Col. Jerry Jalandoni, commander of the army’s 604th Infantry Brigade in Maguindanao province, issued the warning after one of his men was gunned down in the village of Tinantangan in Mamasapano town over the weekend.

Jalandoni said the separatists violated the cease-fire agreement.

His threats coincided with the arrival of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who spoke at the 30th Philippine Business Conference in Manila yesterday and ahead of a scheduled peace talks this month in Kuala Lumpur.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the military was quick to blame the MILF, although rebel leaders in the town denied involvements in the attack.

Kabalu said rebel chieftain Murad Ebrahim has ordered a probe into the allegations. He said the MILF’s cease-fire committee is investigating the incident. “The MILF cease-fire committee is now investigating this incident. If ever any of our members are involved in the attack, then we will punish him in accordance with the Shariah law,” he told Arab News.

Kabalu said rebel forces in the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao province have been alerted because of the threats. “MILF forces are now in the defensive position. They will defend themselves and their camps if attacked by government soldiers,” Kabalu said. Kabalu said Jalandoni made his threats in an interview by reporters at radio station in Maguindanao’s Cotabato City.

The military said it would look into Jalandoni’s statement.

he head of the government cease-fire committee, Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano said he would coordinate with the MILF and conduct a joint investigation into the incident.

“There is always a peaceful road ahead and we will not allow this small incident to ruin the gains of the peace process between the government and the MILF. We will conduct a joint investigation into this matter,” Yano said in a separate phone interview from Manila.

The incident occurred ahead of the arrival of the international team of observers that would monitor the truce between the military and the MILF.

The group, which is expected to arrive in Manila this week, is composed of representatives from Saudi Arabia, Libya, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Bahrain and Japan.