MILF leader yields to government in Mindanao

Pantao Ragat Mayor Eleanor Lantud of Lanao del Norte, left, presents a Moro Islamic Liberation Front political leader and financier Hadji Ali Batua Gandamatu, who handed over an MP9 sub-machinegun to Colonel Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade during a ceremony on Friday, February 13, 2009. Mayor Lantud facilitated Gandamatu’s defection to the government. The rebel leader, political government chairman of Saber-Sa-Rapadan Province covering Lanao del Norte, also swore on the Koran to desist supporting the MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group. (Photo contributed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines)

10 MILF rebels surrender in South RP

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US military turns over school building to locals in Southern Philippines

Philippine and US military officials in Kauswagan town in Lanao del Norte province.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 21, 2009) - The US government through their military handed over Wednesday to local authorities a P4.5-million newly constructed 3-room school building in Lanao del Norte’s Kauswagan town in Mindanao.

The town was previously raided by Moro rebels who burned schools and attacked innocent civilians.

US Army Captain Cristian Knutzen, of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, together with Philippine Army Colonel Benito de Leon, of the 104th Infantry Brigade under the 1st Infantry Division, assisted Lanao del Norte Governor Khalid Mohammad Dimaporo, in the ceremonial turnover of the keys to the school principal of Kauswagan Central Elementary School.

This was witnessed by representatives of the Department of Education, other local officials, and school children.

Knutzen said the US-funded project was built in collaboration with the Philippine Government to help bring stability in the region. De Leon, the army brigade commander in the area, explained that the local military identified developmental projects in the province in consultation with local executives which eventually is nominated for funding by the US government.

He said the school building was among the other civil-military developmental projects being undertaken in the area with the help of the American forces.

Governor Dimaporo also thanked the military forces for their continued support to the Province of Lanao del Norte, and at the same time called upon his people to join hands to pursue peace. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Photo: Army launches bomb awareness campaign in Southern RP

Philippine soldiers from the 104th Infantry Brigade led by Captains Alonto Maamo and Julakmad Muhalli speak to civilians Monday, December 22, 2008 in Iligan City in Mindanao as part of a bomb awareness campaign. The Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace also participated in the endeavor with Violeta Gloria, among others, helped in explaining the necessity of vigilance for the safety of the civilians. These were done in malls, markets, streets, and passenger bus and jeep terminals. The soldiers also distributed leaflets explaining how to detect improvised explosives, says Briagdier Benito de Leon.

Improvised Bomb Recovered In Iligan City

Police released cartographic drawings of suspects in twin bombings in Iligan City on December 18 that killed two people and wounded at least four dozens more.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 21, 2008) – An improvised explosive was discovered Sunday in the southern Filipino city of Iligan, where two people were killed in recent twin bombings blamed by the authorities on Moro rebels fighting for independence in the troubled region of Mindanao.

The bomb, assembled from 81mm mortar, was covered in papaya, when it was found by scavengers at around 10 a.m. Police and military bomb experts quickly disarmed the explosive.

No groups or individual claimed ownership of the bomb, but security officials said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels were behind the foiled attack and the twin bombings Thursday on two shopping areas that killed two persons and wounded at least four dozens more.

On Friday, security forces also recovered an improvised explosive hours after President Gloria Arroyo visited the bombing victims in Iligan City. The bomb was also assembled from 81mm mortar and concealed in a hollowed papaya and put inside a net bag and left at the Delecta Coffee and Bakeshop near the bombed area.

The bomb was discovered at around 4 p.m. by an employee and reported the matter to the police. The bag was left by two men who had a snack at the coffee shop.

Police released the sketches of three men, believed to be the bombers.

The discovery of the bombs coincided with fierce fighting between army troops and rebels in the town of El Salvador in Lanao del Norte province. Three soldiers were injured in the fighting, said Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade.

De Leon said a still undetermined number of rebels were either killed or wounded in the clash in the hinterland village of Calimudan. The fighting lasted an hour. “Three of my soldiers were wounded in the fighting,” he said.

He said the clash erupted after patrolling soldiers were fired upon by about four dozen rebels. Sporadic clashes continue after peace talks between Manila and the MILF collapsed in August when the two sides failed to sign the Muslim ancestral domain agreement.

The deal would have granted more than four million Muslims their own homeland in the southern Philippines. The accord was unconstitutional, according to the Supreme Court. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Thousands Attend Serviamus Assembly In Mindanao; Army Brigadier Seeks Help For Refugees

The Serviamus Foundation is headed by Bishop Elenito Galido of the Diocese of Iligan City and Norma Gejon, the President and Executive Director. Also in the photo is Army Col. Benito de Leon.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 1, 2008) – Some 3,000 people gathered in Iligan City in Lanao del Norte province in the southern Philippines for the 11th General Assembly of the Serviamus Foundation Inc.

The weekend assembly, held at the gymnasium of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, was successful with Serviamus vowing to continue its micro-financing programs to uplift and strengthen socio-economic condition of poor households in Mindanao through a quality innovative financial and other development services.

The foundation is headed by Bishop Elenito Galido of the Diocese of Iligan City and Norma Gejon, the President and Executive Director. The assembly highlighted the various local products from the Small Enterprise Development Program Project. Government and military officials and

Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade, asked the Serviamus Foundation Inc., to also help the internally displaced persons (IDPS), particularly the Muslims, as a result of the August 18 attacks by Moro rebels in Lanao del Norte province.

In his speech before the assembly, De Leon said his soldiers are now also much involved in the return, resettlement, and reintegration of the IDPs in the province consistent with the International Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement as well as the implementing instructions of government leaders.

He noted, however, that many of the IDPs have lost the drive and the capacity to recover economically. He suggested a similar Small Enterprise Development Program be made by Serviamus to also benefit the IDPs.

“In being able to also extend your service to the IDPs, especially to the Muslims, this Foundation would have demonstrated firmly its full transformation from being church-based into a true NGO,” he said. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Troops Put Up Checkpoints, Secure Highway From Lawless Groups In Mindanao

Government soldiers inspect vehicles passing in front of the Army's 104th Infantry Brigade in Iligan City in the southern Philippines.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 27, 2008) – Army soldiers have put up checkpoints on a highway connecting the cities of Iligan and Marawi as part a security measure aimed at securing the safety of motorists and travelers from lawless groups.

Army Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade, said villagers have sought the help of authorities and urged the military and police to put up roadblocks and checkpoints after the presence of gunmen were reported along the stretch of the highway.

“These checkpoints would curb those who plan to impersonate persons in authority, and allow the military to monitor the passage of security forces. Certain individuals were also reported carrying firearms without authority and even on board government vehicles or ambulances, hence the checkpoints,” De Leon said.

The checkpoints, he said, were intended to complement police enforcement activities and contribute to peace and order in the two areas.

De Leon assured the public that soldiers manning the checkpoints would not violate rights of civilians. He advised drivers of vehicle approaching a checkpoint to slow down and prepare to stop if signaled; dim their lights; open their windows; and turn on their cabin lights.

“Rest assured that we will establish any security arrangement allowed by our laws and regulations, including the conduct of checkpoints, if only to protect the people we are duty-bound to serve,” De Leon said. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Philippine Army partners with civil groups, NGO to fight abuses and violence against women

Jane Bernardo, CSO Forum president, listens to Colonel Benito de Leon during the consultation on the elimination of violence against women in Iligan City on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 26, 2008) - “Sexual violence is outlawed in the Armed Forces of the Philippines even in times of war or armed conflict”.

This was the message of Army Col. Benito de Leon, commander of 104th Infantry Brigade, speaking during the “Observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” held in Iligan City by the Gender Equality Network for Peace (GEN4PEACE) in cooperation with the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Forum for Peace and the British Embassy.
The activity was organized in consonance with UN Security Council Resolution No. 1820 covering the issues on rape and sexual violence in conflict situations. Adopting the theme “Women, Peace, and Security: Issues of Rape and other Forms of Sexual Abuse in Times of War,” the consultation was attended by the delegates from the 13 NGO-member groups of the CSO Forum with its president, Jane Bernardo, and participated in by the military and police.

Commissioner Anita Sescon, of the Mindanao Commission on Women Forum, provided the inputs for the UN Resolution. On the other hand, lawyer Florante Ursua, of the Commission on Human Rights, spoke on the responsibility of the government to prevent human rights violations.

In responding to concerns that women have been portrayed as a booty of war and that the incidence of sexual molestations were high during times of armed conflicts, De Leon explained that the notion of war booties were things of the past long gone by. “As societies became more civil, laws and norms were adopted to forbid this practice. The military, aside from the existing criminal laws, enforces the punitive Articles of War governing the conduct of military personnel,” he said.

Furthermore, De Leon also clarified that other measures are in place to ensure that members of the military observe the prohibitions as provided in our legal system including the adoption of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Code of Ethics outlining the professional conduct, the inclusion of all these as discussion points in military education courses, and the regular conduct of troop information.

“Commanders at all levels have to see that these are all observed and enforced. All abuses or violations of the law, including rape or violence on women, committed by any military personnel at any given time especially during times of conflict will not be tolerated by the AFP,” he said. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Lanao Officials Hold Peace Dialogues

Peacemakers. Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, of the 2nd Congressional District, and his son, Gov. Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo, Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade and Chief Supt. Teodorico Capuyan, the regional police chief, hold peace dialogues in Lanao del Norte province.

LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 23, 2008) - Government and security officials converged in the remote town of Magsaysay and held community dialogues in an effort to end bloody reprisals between warring Muslim clans in Lanao del Norte province.

The area where the talks were held Friday was the site of a recent atrocity triggered by clan war or locally known as rido. The practice of rido, particularly in the town, was largely blamed to disputes arising from business rivalry or being shortchanged in their deals which later worsened as blood debts that had widened into clan wars.

Just last week, Municipal Councilman Generoso Jamora was slain in what was believed to be part of a string of reprisals among the populace. The nearby town of Salvador had also been the site of another feud that resulted in the ambush of a group of Maranaos.

The dialogues were held by Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, of the 2nd Congressional District, and his son, Gov. Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo, Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade and Chief Supt. Teodorico Capuyan, the regional police chief.

The group later met with the locals and appealed for an end to the bloody feuds that had claimed lives and threatened to escalate into a bigger conflict.

Dimaporo directed the police authorities to speed up investigation of the Magsaysay incident in order to identify the suspects and charge them in court so as to prevent people to take the law in their own hands.

US military projects up in Lanao del Norte

Philippine Army Brigadier Benito de Leon briefs Gov. Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte on proposed development projects in the province.

LANAO DEL NORTE (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 22, 2008) - Local military and American counterparts met with officials of Lanao del Norte and briefed them on the development projects being undertaken in the province.

Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade, US Army Capt. Christian Knutzen, of the US Army, met with Gov. Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte and presented a list of projects being considered in Lanao del Norte.

Knutzen reported that a 27-kilometer road had been approved by his government to be built passing through three towns - starting from Kauswagan by the coast through Matunggao and leading farther inland to Poona Piagapo.

“The survey, prior to actual implementation of the road project, is to take place within a few days,” De Leon said.

Both military officers also presented to the governor the consolidated list of plans mostly infrastructure projects as proposed by the different municipal mayors in the province. The proposed projects, however, will still be subject to scrutiny before its nomination for approval of the US government.

Knutzen is a part of the US military stationed in the area in line with the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement. His group undertakes civil-military activities in support of the local military particularly in development projects to hasten stability in conflict areas. They have also been noted to carry out medical missions mostly in the depressed areas.

At the same time, De Leon also disclosed to the governor that plans on are underway, on instructions of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to build a military camp in the hinterland municipality of Poona Piagapo. This town was the site of Camp Bilal which Abdullah Macapaar, a notorious commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation, had previously controlled.

The rebel camp was earlier allowed as an area of temporary stay for Macapaar’s group with the ongoing peace negotiations between Manila and the MILF, but was eventually denied him after his pillage of Kolambugan and Kauswagan towns on August 18.

“We are optimistic that the planned development of the area will address the security issues associated with its inaccessibility, and will eventually usher in economic activity to benefit the locals,” De Leon said.

Dimaporo also ordered the establishment of an Area Coordinating Center (ACC) in Lanao del Norte.

The ACC is a mechanism borne out of Executive Order No. 21 creating a "coordinative" and integrated system on internal security. It also serves as a point of contact of the Peace and Order Council, Disaster Coordinating Council, Development Council, Non-Government Organizations, People’s Organizations, and other entities at the sub-national and local levels.

The operational concerns include developmental operations,counterinsurgency, anti-organized crime, maintenance of peace and order, disaster relief and rehabilitation, environmental enhancement and protection, and other special events that need concerted efforts or actions of cognizant government agencies and NGOs. (Mindanao Examiner)

Army Foils Clan War, 8 People Arrested In Mindanao

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 18, 2008) - An army patrol in search of Moro rebels responsible for the havoc in Lanao del Norte province in Mindanao encountered Tuesday an armed group believed to be preparing to launch a reprisal attack in Salvador town.

Colonel Benito de Leon, commander of 104th Infantry Brigade, said troops from the 35th Infantry Battalion were dispatched to check the presence of armed men in the village of Bayabao who clashed with another armed group of about 20 people.

While no casualties were accounted in the firefight, De Leon said troops captured eight people suspected to be associated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Soldiers also recovered a shotgun, .30-caliber ammunition, handheld transceiver radios, military packs and uniforms.

De Leon said initial investigations showed the group to be linked with a prominent MILF leader who intended to do a “rido” (armed settlement of family feuds) in exacting revenge with another prominent political personality in the area.

Lanao had been known for the practice of ridos. Just last week, a series of such incidents occurred in the nearby municipality of Magsaysay. This prompted the Army to deploy forces in the area to deter the recurrence of violence.

Dialogues with the populace where also undertaken by the military and the local government executives in an attempt to stop rido.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro during his visit over the weekend also issued instructions to the military to similarly treat as criminals those who undertake the practice of rido.

Teodoro reminded the public that the courts are the only acceptable and lawful institutions for the settlement of disputes to ensure peace and order in a civilized society.

Defense Chief Orders Military To Help Refugees Return Home In Mindanao

Defense chief Gilberto Teodoro, Maj. Gen. Nehemias Pajarito and Col. Benito de Leon in Lanao del Norte province in southern Philippines on Sunday, November 16, 2008.

LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 16, 2008) – Filipino Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has ordered the military Sunday to hasten the return to normalcy of the communities affected by the deadly rampage of Moro rebels in Lanao del Norte province.

Rebels, led by Abdullah Macapaar, launched simultaneous attacks August 18 after the failed signing of the ancestral domain deal between the MILF and government peace negotiators that would have granted more than a separate homeland for more than four million Muslims in Mindanao.

Teodoro, accompanied by army commanders, made surprise visits at refugee shelters in the towns Munai and Poona Piagapo, all in Lanao del Norte, to check on the conditions of the refugees.

Teodoro took time to find out the concerns of the refugees and spoke with them about their plight and vowed to bring these to the attention of concerned government agencies. Among the problems in refugee shelters were the lack of medicines, food and potable water system.

Teodoro also noticed the poor road conditions, inadequate schools and security assurances during military operations against lawless groups. He also assured the locals that authorities would similarly run after groups that threaten their safety in the same manner the military is now hunting down Macapaar.

"We are here to protect all of you," he told the refugees, who cheered Teodoro.
Maj. Gen Nehemias Pajarito, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, who accompanied Teodoro, instructed Col. Benito de Leon, of the 104th Infantry Brigade, to help the refugees return to their homes.

Pajarito also appealed to the locals to help authorities in maintaining peace and order by reporting the presence of lawless groups. “This is important to ensure the safety and the restoration of peace in the communities,” Pajarito said.

De Leon said the communities are now secured from the lawless MILF groups after noting the absence of any atrocity for quite sometime as well as the successful conduct of special events and the smooth trips of visiting dignitaries.

Arroyo recently inspected a road project in the hinterland town of Nunungan. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Army seeks support of Lanao religious leaders

Catholic Bishop Elenito Galido and Army brigadier Benito de Leon during their meeting Friday, November 7, 2008.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 7, 2008) - In a bid to secure support to dissipate the tensions of warring groups in Mindanao, an army commander met Friday with religious leaders of Lanao del Norte province for consultation on the prevailing security issues being instigated by some sectors to have cultural and religious undertones.

Col. Benito de Leon, of the 104th Infantry Brigade, met with Catholic Bishop Elenito Galido, of the Diocese of Iligan which covers Lanao del Norte province. Earlier this week, De Leon also had a similar meeting with Muslim religious leader, Aleem Elias Macarandas, at the Bishops-Ulama Office here.

Both Bishop Galido and Macarandas, who are members of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, welcomed the consultations as they were disturbed with the recent atrocities seemingly between Muslims and Christians, particularly in the town of Magsaysay.

On October 26, a group of Maranao residents were ambushed in Magsaysay town resulting to a number of casualties, and local militias called Ilaga, were being blamed for this violence. It was also alleged that this was the latest of a series of reprisals involving several groups in the area.

De Leon quickly deployed forces in the area to prevent further bloodshed. He said the 35th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Jose Faustino also initiated dialogues with the local residents in an attempt to reach out to the conflicting parties and resolve their issues peacefully.

“Both religious leaders manifested continuing commitment to activities that promote peace and harmony among the Christians and Muslims,” De Leon said.

He also assured them that the military will give due protection to all citizens no matter their cultural or religious affiliations may be. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Army Reiterates Support To Peace Efforts In Mindanao

Colonel Benito de Leon, commander of the Philippine Army's 104th Infantry Brigade,and honorary sultan in Mindanao, speaks to participants to the 3rd Interfaith Council Meeting held on October 27, 2008 in Iligan City, the capital of Lanao del Norte province. De Leon, a decorated officer, spoke about the importance of interfaith among Filipinos in achieving peace and unity. Other resource speakers and participants also pose for photo with De Leon.

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 28, 2008) – The Philippine Army said it will continue to support efforts of civil society groups and non-government organizations to bring about peace and unity in Mindanao.

The Army is actively campaigning to bring tranquility in the troubled region and has embarked in various peace and development programs in partnership with different government agencies, non-government and civil organizations.

Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade, who was invited Monday to speak at a forum by the civil society organization called Pakigdait Inc., said the Army is supporting government efforts to sustain peace and development in Mindanao and at the same time ensure the safety of civilians from lawless groups.

“Your military will always give high priority in ensuring the protection of the Filipino citizens whether they be Christians, Muslims, Lumads, or otherwise,” De Leon told participants to the 3rd Interfaith Council Meeting held in Iligan City.

The forum was attended by traditional and religious leaders headed by Rev. Fr. Regino Quijano, the Pakigdait chairman and Musa Sanguila, who heads the Civil Society Organization of Lanao del Norte Partnership for Peace and Development.

De Leon praised both groups for helping dozens of families, displaced by in the past by rebel hostilities, to return to their homes in Lanao del Norte’s Kauswagan town.

Troops have been deployed in the province to help local police forces pursue rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels and maintain peace and order.

“Even as we pursue these lawless groups, we shall strictly abide by the instructions of minimizing collateral damage and in upholding the rights of the people as guaranteed in our Constitution,” De Leon said.

De Leon also briefed participants about the security situation in Lanao del Norte and other areas nearby and lauded the support of provincial and local government officials to the military’s efforts.

He also praised Muslim and Christian religious organizations which continue to play an active role in hastening the return of peaceful conditions in Lanao del Norte.

In 2000, De Leon was conferred the honorary title of “Sultan a Romapunut,” which literally means “Leader of Peace” in Lumbayanague in Lanao del Sur province because of his various conflict prevention and peace building efforts in the past in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)

Soldiers Arrest 3 MILF Rebels Implicated In Murder, Attack On Southern RP Village

Photos released by the Army's 104th Infantry Brigade show assorted radios, explosives and munitions left behind by MILF commander Lumundaya Mabuntal after a clash with soldiers in Lanao del Norte province in Mindanao.

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 10, 2008) – Philippine soldiers arrested Friday three Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels implicated in the killing of a village chieftain in Mindanao, officials said.

Officials said troops raided a rebel hideout and arrested the trio in the village of Sambolawan in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in the restive Muslim autonomous province of Maguindanao.

But the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels said the three men were innocent civilians arrested at a refugee shelter in the village.

“This is a clear violation of human rights. Troops raided the evacuation center, causing panic and fears among children and women, and they arrested three innocent Muslim men on mere suspicion they are MILF supporters or rebels,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

The MILF identified the trio as Surab Sinuka, 30; Nasser Abubakar, 33; and Abe Kalikod, 35.

Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, denied the MILF claims and said the three men behind the recent killing of a village chieftain in the town, scene of previous battles between rebels and soldiers.

“What soldiers raided was a hideout of lawless MILF members and not a refugee center. The three men are under rogue MILF leader Ameril Kato, whom is wanted by authorities for deadly attacks in the provinces,” Ando said in a separate interview.

Ando said the three men were also involved in previous attacks in the village of Pagatin in Datu Saudi Ampatuan. “We have recovered a grenade launcher and munitions from their hideout. The three rebels are being interrogated,” he said.

Sporadic fighting continues in Mindanao between rebel and government forces since August after MILF gunmen raided and killed many innocent civilians in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Sarangani provinces.

The aborted signing of the Muslim ancestral domain with the MILF triggered the attacks, blamed on Kato and two other rebel leaders Abdurahman Macapaar and Sulayman Pangalian.

Authorities also tagged the MILF as behind the series of bombings that toppled steel pylons of the state-run National Transmission Corporation (Transco) in Mindanao.

Army Col. Benito de Leon, commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade, said Macapaar’s group was among those behind the toppling of the pylons in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Sarangani and North Cotabato.

He said troops on Wednesday clashed with Macapaar’s group in Lanao’ Poona Piagapo and Munai towns and captured rebel weapons and improvised explosives left behind by MILF commander Lumundaya Mabuntal.

Mabuntal, alias Commander Topsider, is Macapaar’s most trusted aide and behind the spate of bombings of power pylons in the provinces, the colonel said.

“Mabuntal or Topsider, the most trusted henchman of Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, is responsible for the series of bombing of Transco power line towers in the area,” De Leon said.

“The operations against rogue continue. The series of engagements and continuous law enforcement activities of the military had steadily stripped the (rebels) of their bases and logistics, drastically reducing their atrocious capability,” he said.

President Gloria Arroyo opened up peace talks with the MILF in 2001, but suspended the negotiations last month because of the rebel attacks in Mindanao.

She demanded the MILF to surrender Kato, Macapaar and Pangalian before peace talks could resume. The MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, rejected the demand. (With a report from Juan Magtanggol)

Troops raid refugee camp, seize 3 Muslims in Mindanao, MILF rebels say

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Project ISLAM Gets Warn Welcome In Southern Philippines

An army commander delivers the sleeping bags to front line troops at a hinterland base in Munai town in Lanao del Norte province as earlier committed by President Gloria Arroyo. (Photo by Philippine Army 104th Infantry Brigade)

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 9, 2008) – Christians and Muslims gathered at a village in Lanao del Norte’s Kauswagan town to welcome the members of the Christian Ministerial Fellowship who visited them as part of a humanitarian outreach mission in Mindanao.

Provincial government and military officials joined the fellowship visit headed by Pastor Peter Robert Matalinis in the village of Delabayan to nurture and promote one of the successful peace building initiatives in the aftermath of the war in 2000 between soldiers and rebels.

The Philippine Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade under Col. Benito de Leon has largely assisted in the successful mission dubbed as “Project ISLAM” which stands for “I Sincerely Love All Muslims.

The project was started by Lt. Col. Johnny Macanas, then with the Army’s 4th Infantry Division to help the Muslim village recover from the devastation war. The village was one of those worst affected by the fighting during the administration of President Joseph Estrada.

“One of our thrust in 104th Infantry Brigade is to explore and promote all avenues of peaceful undertakings that may hasten unity and harmony in conflict areas,” said Captain Alonto Maamo, Civil-Military Operations officer of the 104th Infantry Brigade.

He said the projects included housing, madrasa, mosques, school building, and potable water system for residents of Delabayan.

Educational scholarships were also awarded to the locals in support to the army’s literacy program. “Significantly, this project has paved the way for both Christians and Muslims to undertake symbiotic activities that benefited each other.”

“The military along with the Christian Ministerial Fellowship plans to replicate the project in other areas to help put in place the conditions for lasting peace among Christian and Muslim communities,’ Maamo said.

Just recently, President Gloria Arroyo also ordered the distribution of sleeping bags to soldiers to protect them from colds and harsh weather condition in Lanao del Norte. Also the military handed over new machine guns for soldiers as part of its upgrading program.

“We thank the President and our military leaders for their continued support to the troops,” said Col. De Leon. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)