Mindanao Gov Criticized Over Shoot-To-Kill Order vs Escaped Prisoners

SULTAN KUDARAT (Mindanao Examiner / 09 Feb) – North Cotabato governor Emmanuel Pinol continues to draw criticisms over his “shoot-to-kill” order on about 4 dozen prisoners who escaped from a provincial jail.

The prisoners escaped Feb. 2 after gunmen raided the facility. Authorities said among those who bolted from jail were several suspected terrorists, one of them an Abu Sayyaf militant, linked to October bombings in North Cotabato that killed eight people.

Pinol insisted the raiders were members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and gave a shoot-to-kill order on top of a P20,000 bounties for each of the prisoners. The MILF denied the accusations and criticized Pinol for his shoot-to-kill order.

The military said the gunmen were members of the dreaded kidnap syndicate called Pentagon Gang.

“Pinol should have let the families of these prisoners or religious groups negotiate first for their surrender rather than issuing a shoot-to-kill order. The prisoners are running for their live instead of surrendering peacefully.”

“It was an irresponsible decision, being the head of the local crisis committee, because Pinol should have exerted efforts to convince the prisoners to surrender peacefully,” said Hussin Abdullah, a passenger jeep driver.

Many of those who escaped were suspects in various crimes and had not been convicted yet.

Troops were also helping the police track down the prisoners. But the hunt could be more difficult because the areas where the prisoners are believed to hiding are also strongholds of the MILF, which is currently negotiating peace with Manila.

Rebel leaders fear that security forces may intrude into their bases that can spark fighting between MILF gunmen and government soldiers.

The MILF said it is willing to help the police and military in the hunt for prisoners. “We are willing to help the authorities hunt down the prisoners if the Philippine government seeks our help,” Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman, told the Mindanao Examiner.

The MILF signed a truce with the government in 2001, but despite the cease-fire sporadic clashes still continue in some areas in the south. (Mindanao Examiner)

JI, MILF Tagged As Behind North Cotabato Bombing

NORTH COTABATO (Caloy Bautista / 11 Oct) - The series of bombings in Central Mindanao which killed seven and wounded 33 civilians Oct. 10 and 11 was the handiwork of the Indonesian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiya and implemented by elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, according to North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel F. Pinol.

The bombing run started Tuesday morning with an explosion that rocked Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat province resulting in one death and three injuries.

Another bomb exploded at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday in front of the Makilala municipal gymnasium killing six and wounding 30 civilians. A third explosion rocked Cotabato City on Wednesday morning.

The military earlier said that two women were killed and four others wounded in the blast in Tacurong and that police claimed as many as 12 people had died in Makilala bombing.

Two unexploded 81mm mortars, rigged to a cellular phone, were also recovered by authorities Wednesday morning, in front of the Makilala municipal building.

The cell phone which was designed to detonate the bomb proved to be the source of information as it contained missed calls and messages from numbers identified to be used by MILF 105th base sub-commander Basit Usman.

"The cell phone that was recovered in the unexploded bomb proved to be a rich trove of information that clearly identified the people who implemented the series of bombings in Central Mindanao yesterday and early today," Gov. Pinol said.

Gov. Pinol said orders for the bombings came from Indonesian terrorist Dulmatin in retaliation for the arrest of his wife, Istiada, in Jolo on October 3.

The operation was implemented by elements of the MILF led by Usman following the transfer of funds to finance the operation from Zamboanga City last week.

"The MILF now cannot wash their hands and simply say they know nothing of the bombing that killed and injured my people," Gov. Pinol said.

He said he will formally file a protest against the MILF for violation of the ceasefire agreement.

"Let the MILF come clean and they can only do that if they turn over to the authorities the people behind the series of bombings, especially Basit Usman."

The local police said it would file criminal charges against Usman for his involvement in the Makilala bombing. (Mindanao Examiner)