World

(Updated) South Philippines tense after deadly rebel raids

by jayr_patron | August 18, 2008 at 10:37 pm

522 views | 12 Recommendations | 6 comments

A renegade faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked anew villages in the province of Lanao del Norte, in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Associated Press through the Philippine Star reported at least 28 civilians have been killed and 44,000 displaced in the latest guerilla rampage.

A senior army general said additional security forces were deployed to prevent a repeat of Monday's carnage, when about 200-500 Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas cut off a main highway and raided up to five coastal towns in the province.

The rebels burned houses and shot or hacked to death civilians and took others captive.
Brig. Gen. Antonio Supnet, head of an army brigade that flushed out the rebels, said eight residents from Kolambugan town were unaccounted for and presumed to have been snatched by the retreating guerrillas.

"We are treating them as criminals and we will go after them anywhere," he told The Associated Press.

Kolambugan Mayor Beltran Lumaque said residents "were killed as they were sighted."
The national disaster agency said about 44,000 people were displaced, most of them taking refuge in 19 evacuation centers in nearby Iligan and Ozamiz cities.

Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said Monday's attack was carried out by a key commander, Abdullah Macapaar, also known as Bravo, without the knowledge of the group's leadership. He said that Bravo will "face the consequence of his action" but did not elaborate.

Fighting escalated early August as the Philippines' supreme court blocked the passage of a memorandum of agreement between the government and MILF expanding the territory of the Bangsamoro.

Security tightened in Mindanao urban centers, Metro

Chief Superintendent, Nicanor Bartolome, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that security has been tightened and police personnel have been put on red alert in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile...

Captain Carlo Ferrer, spokesman of the Armed Forces National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) said the military has also placed its Metro Manila units on the highest alert.

Security in urban centers in Mindanao have also been beefed up amidst government-MILF confrontations.

In Iligan City, close to 300 residents and community leaders have armed themselves in defense against possible MILF attacks. Iligan is a highly-urbanized city in the province of Lanao del Norte.

Estrada pushes for all-out offensive

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada has called for an all-out offensive against the rebels.

“Enough with the talking; the people in Mindanao are still living in poverty and fear,” Estrada spoke through Mindanao-wide radio broadcast on Bombo Radyo.

During his term, Estrada mounted offensives which overran the MILF stronghold, Camp Abubakar.

He was ousted in 2001 amidst corruption allegations. Put on house arrest, Estrada walked free in 2007 after being pardoned by incumbent president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Photo from Wikipedia.org.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Sanjay Jha

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 22:47 on August 18th, 2008

jayr_patron, I like this story. It's good stuff. We should look out for more updates, Cheers

Babel-Fish

at 19:03 on August 19th, 2008

I live in the Philippines, I have tried to upload an article related to this story. Click on the monkey with glasses picture.

Pray tell me how do we attach related stores?

bl (not verified)

at 07:12 on August 19th, 2008

Jayr---Thank you for sharing this chapter in the ongoing saga of Muslim extremists brutalizing their neighbors through killing, extortion, intimidation, rape and pillage. Because these people believe in Allah, and his prophet Muhammed, they think they are entitled to inflict this savagery on those who have different religious convictions. Why do they keep calling Islam the religion of peace?

Babel-Fish

at 16:42 on August 19th, 2008

Why do they keep calling Islam the religion of peace? As with Christian say their religion is one of peace. There are millions of Muslims in the world that what to live a peaceful life and pray for world peace.

If your talking about the much, much small bunch of fundamentalist that happen to call themselves muslims, which means servants of God I agree they should not view its right to kill in the name of God.

I am a atheist that has studied Islam and I do move in muslim circles and have many muslim friends and they are just annoyed about this minority fringe that give a very bad name to their religion by its association of these terrorist calling themselves Muslims.

Its clearly you do not understand these things or if you do what you have just comment about is religious hatred and if thats so I personally will not entertain your further comments.

By the way we that have the knowledge certainly think that those that spread racial or religious hatred normally have low IQ's or we simply call them trolls. I have had my word and will not entertain any further argument on this issue.