Military: “Expect more IED attacks in the coming days for as long as punitive action continues”

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/04 July) – For as long as punitive actions continue against the alleged rogue elements of the Moro Islammic Liberation Front (MILF), “we may expect more IED attacks in the coming days,” the chief of the intelligence division of the 6th Infantry Division said.
Col. Diosdao Carreon told Mindanao and Manila-based participants to the State of the Bakwits joint coverage on June 30 at the Estosan Garden Hotel that the series of IED explosions in the last few weeks is “the handiwork of just one group which has links with the JI (Jemaah Islamiyah) and some of them are hiding in the LMG (“lawless MILF groups”) areas.

While not naming the MILF specifically as the culprit, Carreon referred to criminal perpetrators as “LMG and MILF” in his briefing.

“Evidences that were gathered showed that these IED attacks is the handiwork of just one group. It is evident in the design and signature of IEDs that were successfully exploded as well as those recovered. This group has links with the international terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah and some of them are hiding in LMG camps,” he said.

He said the IEDs are “launched and are meant to terrorize civilians and sometimes for extortion purposes to generate funds for these lawless MILF groups. Also these IED attacks (are) meant to divert attention of government forces as its pursuit operations vs (MILF commander Umbra) Kato (and two other commanders) continue.”

“We may expect more IED attacks in the coming days for as long as punitive operations against Umbra Kato continue,” he said.

MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal told the journalists in a forum morning of July 1 that “human nature, except in exceptional cases, there are also some, but no normal people will harm his own people. Hindi mangyayaring kami rin ang papatay sa mga civilians namin. (It cannot happen that we will kill our own civilians).”

He said they have records to show that since the renewed skirmishes starting August 2008, most of the civilians who died did so from “indiscriminate bombing, shelling, strafing.”

“Lumalabas na gusto nila palabasin MILF ang pumatay. How could we? Logically, human nature will tell us, we do not have the motive to do that. As for bombings in Christian areas, as a revolutionary organization, anong mapaapala namin? (what can we achieve by that?) Can we get sympathy from international community? From the people? Will those bombings contribute to the popularity and legitimacy of the MILF? “ Iqbal asked.

Carreon cited incidents under “LMG and MILF criminal acts” and added that since 01 January to date, the LMG and MILF had initiated a total of 172 criminal acts,” 93 of these in Maguindanao and Cotabato City.”

“There are more civilian casualties as a result of IDP attacks,” he said.

Five civilians and one from government have been killed from the IED blasts, according to Carreon’s presentation: one killed, 3 wounded on May 15 in Shariff Aguak; one killed, 3 wounded government side; one civilian killed on June 3; and two killed, 14 injured in Barangay Kitango, Datu Saudi Ampatuan town on June 29.

From the same presentation, 17 civilians and three from government were injured by the IED blasts, according to Carreron.

MindaNews and other members of the media checked on the Kitango explosion about an hour later. A 65-year old female tobacco vendor died on the spot. Nine were listed by investigators as injured, including a 25-year old male gasoline retailer who expired in the hospital in Cotabato City, so the number of wounded became eight.

On July 4, at around 6:30 p.m., a roadside bomb exploded at poblacion Datu Piang in Maguindanao, some 40 meters from the mayor’s house.

Father Eduardo Vasquez, OMI, parish priest of Datu Piang, told MindaNews three persons were injured, two of them delivered to the provincial hospital in Shariff Aguak by the Sta. Teresita Clinic’s ambulance. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)