Thursday, May 15, 2003
MILF rebels torch bus, rob passengers
By Lizanilla J. Amarga

SUSPECTED Moro separtist rebels Wednesday robbed local officials by stopping their bus and then setting the vehicle on fire, the military said.

The attack came a day after the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) warned of more bloodshed following President Arroyo's imposition of a June 1 deadline on them to halt their attacks or risk being branded as terrorists.

Maj. Gen. Glicerio Sua, 1st Infantry Division commanding general said though they cannot determine who initiated the attack they have reasons to believe it was the MILF who did it.

But despite this, he said his troops together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) are now investigating whether the incident was initiated by the MILF or only by lawless elements.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said in a separate interview that their hands are clean as far as that incident was concerned.

"We don't know. We have nothing to do with that incident (in Pagadian)," said Kabalu in a text message.

Meanwhile, 51st Infantry Batallion commanding officer Col. Ignacio Obligacion said it was early morning when a chartered bus carrying district officials was hailed down by seven armed men.

"Our initial reports reveal that the men were MILF members but we are still investigating this. My men are still on the field," he said.

The bus was commissioned to bring the officials to a seminar and was just passing through the coastal town of Dinas near Pagadian when they were hailed.

Obligacion said the armed men forced the passengers to disembark, then took their money and valuables before setting the bus on fire.

He said the men fled on a motorboat located at a nearby beach. The amount of cash and valuables robbed was not determined as of presstime.

Sources disclosed the armed men covered most of their faces and toted M16 armalites and .48 pistols.

However, it was not yet ascertained on whether any civilian died or was hurt as of presstime Wednesday.

Arroyo on Tuesday said the MILF had until June 1 to cease attacks on civilians and cut off links with the local Abu Sayyaf kidnap group and foreign Islamic militant organizations, including Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda.

If they failed to heed this ultimatum, the 12,500-strong rebel group would be treated as terrorists, Arroyo said.

The MILF has been waging a 25-year rebellion to set up an Islamic state in Mindanao.

Nearly a hundred people have been killed in an upsurge in MILF attacks since March.