ICC Dispatch - Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Military pursuit operations to capture Umbra Kato continue

ICC Cotabato City (13 January) - A gun battle ensued between troops of the 46th IB and lawless MILF groups (LMGs) under the 105th Base Command of Umbra Kato at barangay Tatapan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao, Sunday morning.

Army’s 601st brigade commander Col. Marlou Salazar said, government troops were conducting clearing operations in the area when fired upon by a number of LMGs.

Col. Salazar vehemently denied reports that two soldier were killed during the encounter which lasted for several hours.

Two soldier were slightly wounded while the enemy side suffered an undetermined number of injured as result of the running gun battle at barangay Tatapan, in the town of Datu Suadi Ampatuan, he said.

“It was a running gun battle, and the pursuit operations against these groups is still ongoing,” Salazar said.

The official vowed continued military punitive actions against the LMGs until MILF 105th base commander Umbra Kato is captured dead or live.

There have been reports of Umbra Kato’s death, Salazar said, but since November last year, we have not received reports of him being sighted around. (PBC/PIA Cot.)


Commentary: CHALLENGING TIME FOR PEACE

ICC Gensan City (13 January) - There has been a reciprocal call for resumption of stalled peace negotiation between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government. The MILF for one has indicated that it still desires to have Malaysia as the principal mediator although it is not averse to having Washington and London as an additional referees into the talks.

What is disturbing however is that remote communities are still being harassed by MILF elements that cannot be reined-in by the MILF hierarchy. The hostilities therefore have continued with no end in sight since the government forces have to decimate these lawless elements or face the prospects of a force that is more organized, better equipped and well-connected with the terrorist groups operating in territories where the fronts are situated. While the mainstream MILF purportedly respects the ceasefire agreement it has forged with the government, there is no denying the fact that violence and manslaughter of innocent civilians using improvised explosive devises have been going on whenever the guard is down. The worst of these atrocities are the sneak attacks on civilian communities in Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and Sarangani provinces.

This situational condition is hardly the kind of atmosphere that is ideal for the resumption of peace negotiation. Neither is the arrogance from both sides that what they had stood for before is no longer subject to review or re-evaluation. They should not negate the fact that the Supreme Court has ruled that the concept of ancestral domain which was the subject of their memorandum of agreement had been declared unconstitutional. There is no other recourse therefore but to revisit that draft agreement and see where and how they could work out a new draft that is within the ambit of the constitution.

Commitment to peace should not be accorded lip service. The government and the MILF should nurture confidence of each other’s desire to arrive at a meaningful and stable peace accord. They should make the Bangsamoro people, Christians and Lumads develop a sense of security, one that gives an assurance that as they talk the conflict should dissipate and for normalcy to come back like it was before the 1960’s when the Moro people, the Christian settlers and the lumads bear no arms but plowshares and bolos to cut the grasses and the weeds with.

There is tinge of romanticism in that yearning to return to the time when the Muslims and Christians fish together in the banks of Liguasan marsh or together harvest palay in the rice lands in Midsayap. It is incredibly idyllic to recall the time when a Muslim can sleep in a Christian house if and when nighttime will catch up with them. There were no CAFGUs, no MILF, MNLF or Abu Sayyaf then. There were no tanks no RPGs.

Now, can the government and the MILF work an accord that will bring us back in the 1960’s and beyond? Can we demilitarize Mindanao and burn to ashes the guns and the bitterness of war? Yes, we can if we are confident we could. (MW/PIA SarGen)