MILF respects Senate Mamasapano report, insists on independent probe
Local News • 05:02 AM Thu Mar 19, 2015
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
MILF peace panel chair Mohaqher Iqbal
COTABATO CITY
(March 18) – The chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel
today maintained that MILF fighters who clashed with police commandos in
Mamasapano acted on their own and without sanctions from MILF leadership.
Mohaqher Iqbal
issued the statement in reaction to the Senate report that was made public
Tuesday by Sen. Grace Poe.
We respect
the results of the Senate investigation but we maintain our position that there
should be an independent group which will conduct an impartial and objective
probe,” Iqbal said.
Iqbal
maintained that the MILF fighters whom he refused to identify acted on their
own because it was human nature for anyone to react violently if violence is
brought to his backyard.
Iqbal and
other MILF officials attended the Senate inquiry in aid of legislation during
which he stressed the MILF fighters did not fire the first shot in observance
of the ceasefire mechanism.
Iqbal said the
MILF is winding up its own probe and will submit reports to the Malaysian-led
International Monitoring Team (IMT).
The Mamasapano
clash left 44 police commandos, 18 rebels and five civilians killed.
Iqbal said the
MILF probe showed 44 Special Action Force (SAF), 17 and not 18 MILF fighters
and three, not five civilians killed in the Mamasapano encounter.
The police law
enforcement operation also neutralized suspected Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli
bin Hir alias Marwan.”