MILF joins gov't troops in N. Cotabato anti-drug operation
Local News • 07:23 AM Thu Oct 6, 2016
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
Army, MILF hunting down Commander Madrox.
COTABATO CITY - They were once nemesis in the battlefield, Moro rebels and the government military forces normally engaged themselves inbloody and vicious war in the past decades.But this time in the war against drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte, they joined forces in acommon battle that is to eliminate groups behind the proliferation of narcotics in Central Mindanao.
There are 746 Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) mostly from 118th MILF base command who are helping us in tracking these illegal druggroups hiding in Liguasan Marsh, said Colonel Noly Samarita, commander of the 602nd brigade based in Carmen, North Cotabato.
Samarita is referring to the group of Moks Masgal alyas Commander Madrox who heads a lost command group engaged in illegal activities, including narco trade.
Government forces in August 14, launched a big time operation against the group of Madrox but failed to arrest him after operating troops were detected and ambushed that left three soldiers killed.In that operation, Madrox and his men fled to themarshland in the borders ofNorth Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces.
The troops came back today big time, this time with MILF troopers and we were successful to arrest one of the suspect of the ambush, the son of Madrox early morning today,” Samarita added.
He identified the suspect as Kamarudin Masgal, 21 years old. He was arrested in an old house of the main suspect together with nine individuals now subject for investigation of drug use and pushing.Samarita said those arrested admitted they were followers of Cumander Madrox.
He saidKamarudin was one of the suspects behind the ambush that killed government troopers. He was arrested Wednesday in a military police operation.Kamarudin was unarmed and that no prohivited drugs seize from him.As of posting, the manhunt continues against Madrox with MILF forces navigating the vast marshland with government forces using rubber boats and night vision devices.Samarita said the operation against Madrox wasdubbed Confidence operation versus illegal drugs.”The MILF'smilitary spokesperson said they would issue an official statement in the next few hours after the development of this operation. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)