MATALAM, NoCot (May 27) –— The leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will file a protest over the death of nine members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who were allegedly massacred during the joint military and police anti-drug operation in the village Biao, Kilada, this municipality, last Friday, May 25.
Butch Malang, head of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), in a letter dated May 26, sent to Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace agreement implementing panel, said the victims belong to the MILF’s 105th base command, have voluntarily surrendered to the authorities and their firearms were confiscated.
Malang said aside from those killed, three others were wounded including a woman.
Malang disclosed that the BIAF members who were under the 105th Base Command, introduced themselves and “surrendered before the operatives during the raid.” Then, the raiding forces confiscated their firearms.
“After the BIAF troops were disarmed, they were deliberately shot by the operatives which resulted to their instant death,” Malang said.
But Matalam police chief, Chief Inspector Sunny Leoncito, Matalam claimed the raiding team was armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Alandrex Betoya of the Regional Trial Court Branch 16.
According to Leoncito, the authorities went to the area to serve the warrants against Dadting Kasan and Intan Aban on Friday night in Sitio Biao in Barangay Kilada, but they were fired upon. The hour-long firefight resulted in the wounding and subsequent death of seven suspects.
Malang identified those killed as Dadting M. Hassan, Muhamidin A. Hassan, Konne A. Hassan, Burrah S. Salping, Muhalidin S. Salping, Tiyo Mantik, Orom Mantis, Deng Malunok and a certain Abu.
Von Al-Haq, BIAF spokesman, in an interview, said they will file a “strong protest” with their counterpart CCCH of the Philippine government.
Al-Haq belied the published police reports that the BIAF troops engaged the raiding team in a heavy firefight.
“They were shot after they were disarmed when they could no more defend themselves. So, they were massacred,” Al-Haq said.
“No shabu was found during the raid,” Malang said.
The firearms recovered by the operatives included two Barret rifles, two M14 rifles, one Garand rifle, one rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, two .45 caliber pistols and two single-shot handguns.
Malang said the incident constituted severe human rights violation, as well as a violation of the provisions of the Implementing Operational Guidelines of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities.
“We would like to express our deepest sorrow and disappointment to those inhuman acts that were done to our MILF comrades despite (of) series of joint coordination, cooperation and collaboration meetings such as the meeting held at IMT HQ Friday, 25 May 2018 and stakeholders’ meeting held at IMT TS1 last 11 May which was also attended by PSupt Leo T. Ajero, Deputy (Police Director) of North Cotabato,” Malang said.
Malang, then, strongly requested the intervention of the (peace implementing) panel “to finally resolve this case and other similar cases.”-Taher Solaiman/Newsline.ph
