MILF cries massacre of 9 BIAF, files protest

COTABATO CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) ceasefire committee has filed today a strong protest against
government forces for the death of nine of its fighters in a police operation
in Matalam, North Cotabato last Friday night.

Von Al Haq, speaking for the Bangsamoro Islamic
Armed Forces, the MILF military arm, said complaint for violations of the
GPH-MILF ceasefire agreement have been filed before the International
Monitoring Team and the government coordinating committee on the cessation of
hostilities.

The ceasefire mechanism was not followed, there was
no coordination by the government operating forces with the MILF ceasefire
panel and that our forces were massacred, Al Haq told and//www.ndbcnews.com.ph www.ndbcnews.com.ph Al Haq said Butch Malang, chair of the MILF
coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities (MILF-CCCH), filed the
protest before the Malaysian-led monitoring based here. Similar protest was also forwarded to
GPH-CCCH panel.

Al Haq said the MILF fatalities obviously did not
fire a single shot when police and military forces arrived in the village of
Kilada because we religiously observed the ceasefire mechanism.

In fact, he said, the MILF members voluntarily
handed over their rifles when the police asked them lay down their arms only
to be fired at by government forces.

Malang said the police of Matalam and the soldiers
did not coordinate with the MILF CCCH or its counterpart in the government
ceasefire panel when they entered the village at 11:30 p.m. on May 25.

Chief Inspector Sunny Leoncito, Matalam town police
chief, led government forces in serving search warrants issued by Judge
Alandrex Betoya of RTC-16 for violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002) against Dating Hassan and Intan Aban.

Leoncito said the law enforcers were met by gunfire
from the suspects, triggering an hour-long firefight that left seven men
killed. Guns and suspected shabu were seized from the slain suspects, Leoncito
said.

The next morning, Leoncito said, when police
returned to the crime scene for scene of the crime post investigation they were
fired upon by another group of armed men, triggering firefight that killed two
more men.

No encounter took place, Malang said. When the
police arrived, they asked MILF members to lay down guns which they obeyed only
to be shot at close range.

They were disarmed so they could not defend
themselves, then they were shot so that was massacre, Al Haq said.

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.

Two women were among
those arrested by police.