MILF rebels bomb bridge, torched houses in Mindanao

Philippine Army armored personnel carriers and trucks move down a highway of the town of Datu Piang in Maguindanao province after separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels bombed a bridge in the village of Lintokan on Tuesday May 26, 2009. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 26, 2009) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels on Tuesday bombed a bridge and raided a village Maguindanao province in the restive Muslim autonomous region in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said the attack on the bridge occurred before dawn in the village of Lintokan in Datu Piang town. Rebels also torched houses on a nearby village of Reina Regente forcing residents to flee the rampage.

There were no immediate reports of civilian casualties, but the military blamed the attacks on a senior MILF leader, Ameril Kato, who also led a series of deadly attacks last year in the region.

“Troops are clearing the area,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Ponce, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

He said security forces were tracking down the rebels. “The rebels are desperate and even Muslim communities are being attacked, especially those which are not sympathetic to their cause. This is a clear manifestation of terrorism in the region,” Ponce told the Mindanao Examiner.

The MILF said the bombing of the bridge was part of a counter-attack. It denied rebels burned houses of civilians.

“We have nothing to do with the burning of the houses, but rebel forces bombed the bridge – it was part of a counter-attack against the military, which have targeted the innocent Muslims in their offensives,” said Eid kabalu, a senior MILF leader.

Kabalu said rebels forces also attacked Tuesday morning another military target in Datu Saudi Ampatuan tow, also in Maguindanao province.

He said the military launched a series of offensives that targeted the MILF, but Ponce said the attacks were aimed at capturing Kato’s group.

Security forces were also tracking down two other MILF leaders, Abdurahman Macapaar and Sulayman Panglian, who were blamed by the military and police for the string of attacks in Mindanao since last year after the seven-year old peace talks between the rebels and the government collapsed.

On Sunday, MILF rebels fired anti-rockets at the positions of the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion in the village of Datu Gumbay in Datu Piang town.

The MILF said it was targeting the 105mm cannons and munitions storage of the soldiers.

Rebel forces also attacked government troops earlier in the day in the village of Teren-Teren in North Cotabato’s Alamada town and three other areas in the towns of Banisilan, Aleosan and Midsayap.

There was no immediate statement from the governor of Maguindanao, Datu Andal Ampatuan, or his brother Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, who is also the governor of the autonomous region. Both are fierce rivals of the MILF.

Last month, two civilians were wounded at market bombing blamed to the MILF in Sultan Kudarat’s Lebak town and another bombing of a bridge in Iligan City.

Manila opened peace talks with the MILF in 2001, but the negotiations collapsed in August after government negotiators reneged on a deal that would grant some four million Muslims a separate homeland across more than 700 villages in Mindanao. The Supreme Court said the deal was unconstitutional. (With a report from Ferdinandh Cabrera)

Maguindanao leaders unite for peace, development

A photo released by the ARMM Bureau of Public Information shows Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan, 2nd from right, of the Muslim autonomous region, and his father, former Maguindanao Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr., extreme right, with ex-Sultan Kudarat Mayor Tucao Mastura, 2nd from left, and Sultan Mastura Mayor Armando Mastura, after a historical unity meeting on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 in Makati City.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 22, 2009) - In an unprecedented development in Maguindanao’s political history, stalwarts of political clans in the province convened in Makati City on Wednesday and have forged unity ahead of next year’s local and national elections.

The meeting was aimed at bringing peaceful political atmosphere in Maguindanao, one of five provinces under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a press statement said.

The ARMM’s Bureau of Public Information said that Mayor Datu Midpantao Midtimbang, of Guindulungan town, who is one of the prime movers of the unity meeting, said former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan and his son, ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy Ampatuan had initiated the talks in a bid to place the province under a strong and unified leadership and set aside political differences so as to hasten the government’s peace and development efforts.

“This event should not be perceived as repositioning or realignment of political leaders in the province for the coming 2010 elections,” said Midtimbang, one of the prime movers of the historical gathering of some of Mindanao’s most influential leaders.

Ampatuan had earlier requested the mayor to invite the leaders of Maguindanao’s political clans to discuss the unity efforts. The province’s political leaders have pledged loyalty and support to Ampatuan’s leadership.

The Ampatuans expressed gratitude to the local leaders and vowed to strengthen their unity. They also vowed to support the peace and development efforts in all the towns.

“I am glad that today, with the support of all the political leaders, we have finally agreed to set aside political and vested interest for the welfare of our beloved province and for our people,” the young Ampatuan said.

His father also pledged to help sustain the government’s peace and development agenda in Maguindanao.

“We have initiated this unity effort because we want to end all political bickering, we want development for our people and we want to prove to the country and to the world that it is not impossible for Maguindanaon leaders and people to unite for the common good,” the old Ampatuan said.

Among those who attended the unity meeting were former gubernatorial candidate for Shariff Kabunsuan, Datu Tucao Mastura and leaders of various political clans - the Sinsuats, Matalams, Sangkis, Midtimbangs, Biruars, Dilangalens, Makapeges and Tomawis. They also set aside their political differences and recognized the need to unite for the welfare of the province.

Political situation in the province was marred by animosity among local leaders as a result of the hotly contested gubernatorial election of the province of Shariff Kabunsuan in 2007, and its eventual abolition late last year after the Supreme Court ruled that its creation in 2006 was unconstitutional.

Shariff Kabunsuan was carved out from Maguindanao province by virtue of a legislation passed by the ARMM’s Regional Assembly. (Mindanao Examiner)

Arroyo visits ARMM, pledges more support; praises Ampatuan leadership

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 31, 2009) - President Gloria Arroyo visited the province of Maguindanao recently for a briefing on the status and efforts of the local Solid Waste Management Program.

Arroyo said that climate change is the greatest threat the world faces today and this prompted her to reorganize the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) to augment efforts to curb global warming.

The president also proposed the province to adopt a Bioreactor and a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for each of its municipalities. The machine sorts, and segregates biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes and processes them into organic fertilizer and converting non-biodegradable wastes into recyclable bricks.

“These waste management facilities are more acceptable than the proposed landfill because they are environment-friendly and helps in addressing the problem on Global Warming,” she said. “This will also give additional income for the local government units because of the organic fertilizer it produces which will also help our farmers.”

Along with Arroyo during the meeting on Solid Waste Management Program were key officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), who were also members of the PTFCC, their counterparts in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan, Maguindanao Governor Datu Sajid Ampatuan and former Maguindanao Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr.

Her visit in the capital town of Shariff Aguak was appreciated by high-ranking officials from the ARMM and the province of Maguindanao. Arroyo pledged more support to the ARMM and praised Ampatuan's leadership.

“This only shows the commitment and full support of the President to the people of Maguindanao and the whole ARMM,” Ampatuan said.

Arroyo also inaugurated the P218-million Provincial Capitol Complex, which includes the P136- million Provincial Capitol building and the P82-million, 3,500-seat capacity Datu Saudi Uy Ampatuan Sports and Social Center which was funded from the Regional Impact Project Fund of the ARMM government, including P25 million from the President’s Social Fund.

Engr. Norie Unas, Maguindanao Provincial Administrator, said the visit was a very significant event to the residents of the locals as it showed Arroyo's concern to peace, progress and development efforts of her government in the ARMM.

“This is a very special day for us here in Maguindanao because no less than the President of the Republic of the Philippines will inaugurate two of the grandest landmarks in the province,” Unas said. (With a report from the ARMM-Bureau of Public Information)