Military: Hundreds of separatists slain in Mindanao

Agence France-Presse | 07/04/2009 1:17 PM

MANILA - More than a thousand Muslim rebels have been killed in Mindanao over the past year, despite the recovery of only 278 bodies, a military spokesman said Saturday.

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Ponce also said he knew of only 22 soldiers killed in the fighting, despite claims by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that its rebels had killed 500 soldiers in its current offensive.

In August three MILF commanders broke a 2003 ceasefire and began attacking Christian communities in Mindanao, after the Supreme Court suspended a draft accord on Muslim self-rule in the southern Philippines.

In Manila, armed forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner earlier issued a statement saying that military fatalities against the rebels "do not even reach a hundred."

Speaking during a military patrol in Banasilan, in central Mindanao, Ponce pointed out MILF positions on hills in the distance.

Despite having the MILF in their sights, Ponce told AFP, the military was not actively attacking the rebels.

"We are on a defensive stance. We are not conducting offensive operations. We are just conducting law-enforcement operations," he said.

The last gunbattle had been five days ago, although there had since been instances of bombs and mortar attacks, Ponce said.

"If the rogue MILF attacks civilian communities... that is the time we will do a counter-action," he said.

International aid agencies say that more than half a million civilians have been displaced by the fighting that began in August.

Although many civilians have returned to their homes in recent weeks, several hundred still remain in evacuation centres due to fears of more MILF attacks, said Ponce.

The 12,000-member MILF has been waging a separatist rebellion since 1978 to carve out an Islamic state in the southern part of the largely Catholic Philippines.

Comments

your right

Attack the MILF with full force. If the report is true then 12000 men(MILF) will be dismantle within few days or weeks if AFP will hunt them with full force and using some aid from american spy planes which was used to kill abusayyaf leader.

no more conspiracy, no more lies, no more corruption...let's start loving this country and for sure this land which rizal's life sacrificed is worth dying for - thank you ninoy for your patriotism and we pray that your wife will be okay..but for me, it's time for her to rest since her legacy and love will be rememberred by filipinos...

all this problem of our country will be solve and let's start doing it with ourselves. easily said than done but when do we start loving our country if it shattered already and doesn't have any identity?

peace out to all moslem brother and to my bestfriend xtians..LOVE

Submitted by juan_talino on Sun, 07/05/2009 - 05:06.

Why wait for them to attack

Why wait for them to attack civilians?? The military should do their job to attack attack and disarm these criminals. I you allow criminals like MILF,Abu Sayyaf, MNLF etc.. to roam around with their guns and imposed their will on the civilian population you are not only tolerating them but you as a soldier and defender of the people are guilty of DERELICTION OF DUTY. and worst TREASON and should face the FIRING SQUAD!! Is our militray afraid of these criminals or are they saving their ammunitions so the generals can sell them to the enemy?The poor Filipio soldiers have sub standard equipmentss necessary to fight the enemy because their commanders the so called PMA generals are pocketing the money intended for them to be properly eqipped to fight the enemy and defend the Republic.

Submitted by Fiscalizer on Sat, 07/04/2009 - 22:05.

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