July 1, 2000, The Philippine Star, Troops prepare to storm main MILF camp Abubakar, by John Unson,

July 1, 2000, The Philippine Star, Troops prepare to storm main MILF camp Abubakar, by John Unson,

MATANOG, Maguindanao - Army artillery and Air Force helicopter gunships have started bombarding Camp Abubakar in preparation for a massive assault on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) headquarters and main redoubt.

Meanwhile at Malacañang, the Cabinet's Cluster E on national security may recommend to President Estrada a 30-day extension to the June 30 deadline the Chief Executive had earlier imposed on the MILF to reach a peace agreement with the government.

The action was supported by Cluster E's three key members Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr., Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora and Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado.

In Davao City, Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva told The STAR that military operations against the MILF will continue if the rebels fail to sign an interim agreement before the deadline set by the President.

"The signing of a peace agreement is not a condition in our operation," he said. "We take orders from the higher political authority. We just follow orders."

Army spokesman Capt. Noel Detoyato said the artillery and air attacks were necessary to prevent MILF guerrillas from harassing motorists using the Narciso Ramos Highway and government troops patrolling the vicinity.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu admitted that the shelling and aerial bombings had destroyed the market and other buildings inside Camp Abubakar.

He said the Army's howitzers are positioned at strategic locations in the adjoining towns of Balira and Buldon in Maguindanao, and Barangays Langkong and Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur.

More troops are massing in Buldon, a town in the hinterlands overlooking Camp Abubakar, which is a good launching pad for any attack on the rebel stronghold, he added.

However, Maj. Julieto Ando, Army civil-military relations officer, said military units in Buldon have been "visible lately" because of their humanitarian projects in remote communities.

Hours after the military's artillery and aerial attack on Camp Abubakar, MILF guerrillas ambushed an Army-militia patrol in a remote district in Aleosan town. The platoon, led by Army Sgt. Guizardo Villareal of the 27th Infantry Battalion, was sent to the barangay to verify reports that MILF guerrillas were collecting "revolutionary taxes" from residents.

No soldiers were reported killed or injured, but two MILF guerrillas were said to have been killed in the skirmish. The rebels were reported to have retreated in various directions.

Camp Abubakar, which was established by MILF chieftain Hashim Salamat, contains a guerrilla training academy, an Islamic elementary school, high school and college, a Shariah court, two big jails, and makeshift dispensaries.

Mystery has shrouded the whereabouts of Salamat, an Egyptian-trained Islamic theologian, for almost three months now. He was said to have left his mountain residence overlooking Camp Abubakar before government troops attacked rebel positions along Narciso Ramos Highway earlier this month.

Other sources said Salamat has been in Kuala Lumpur with other MILF leaders since last month to attend the 27th foreign ministers' meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

However, another source said the MILF chieftain could be in Marawi City, where he is being sheltered by a group of religious leaders.

Kabalu said yesterday that Salamat is indeed abroad, but refused to say where, except that he is certainly not in Kuala Lumpur.

"He will be meeting some of his friends and classmates while he was studying in Cairo who are now heads of (Islamic) states," he said.

Salamat and key members of the MILF were last reported to have secured travel documents from the Department of Foreign Affairs before government troops started operations around Camp Abubakar.

A court in Metro Manila has issued a warrant of arrest for Salamat and his lieutenants, Al Haj Murad and Ghadzali Jaafar, for their alleged participation in the terrorist bombings in Metro Manila last May.

Zamora said the Cabinet Cluster E is still awaiting the outcome of the OIC's foreign ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur before they submit their recommendation to President Estrada.

"We have talked about this in Cluster E and we have recommended to the President (to) see what will happen (in) the Kuala Lumpur conference and if the MILF will see the truth that no one will help them if their objective is secession, it would be better for them to accept that truth and therefore lay down their banner of secession," he said.

Zamora said the Armed Forces have made a possible assessment of the successful military campaign to dismantle all MILF strongholds, except Camp Abubakar, all over Mindanao.

In an interview yesterday, Siazon said government and MILF negotiators have found the drafts of the interim peace agreement that each had given the other "unsatisfactory." 

"I think most of my colleagues in Cluster E know the reality is you have to talk. Otherwise, what's the alternative? Even if we don't give it (deadline extension), what happens after June 30? You have to talk to somebody to settle the (Mindanao) problem," he said.

Siazon said the government is willing to issue safe-conduct passes to MILF leaders as soon as they return from Kuala Lumpur to allow them to take part in peace negotiations.

In Davao City, intelligence reports said that three boats unloaded Armalite rifles, grenade launchers and ammunition at a makeshift port in Barangay Ilang in Tibungco District last Wednesday.

The three boats were escorted by Jerry Abubakar, a local MILF commander, and the cargo delivered to MILF rebels in Barangay Ilang, the reports added.

Davao City police chief Senior Superintendent Joselito Pomperada immediately sent a team of police investigators to the Muslim community in Barangay Ilang to confirm the report.

Earlier, Abubakar said MILF guerrillas had been sent on an undetermined mission to General Santos City and Davao City.

The arms shipment was said to be intended for the protection of MILF rebels who have been planted in the Muslim community here and in General Santos City.

More clashes

Meanwhile, at least four MILF guerrillas were killed and several others wounded during two separate clashes with Army Scout Rangers in Aleosan town, North Cotabato and in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan last Thursday.

In Tipo-Tipo, the Scout Rangers pounced on 10 MILF guerrillas as they were about to ambush the government troops at about 4:20 p.m.

Col. Fredesvindo Covarrubias, civil-relations group chief for Mindanao, said the troops seized a motorcycle being used by the rebels to spy on government troops.

In Aleosan, a platoon of Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) on routine patrol encountered an undetermined number of MILF guerrillas and a three-hour firefight ensued.

In Cotabato City, MILF negotiator Moner Bajunaid said yesterday the OIC's resolution appealing to the government to stop the military offensive against the MILF was an "implicit recognition" of the MILF.

"For us, this resolution is an implicit recognition of the MILF by the OIC, as if an indirect grant of status of belligerency to the MILF," he said.

MILF representatives have been lobbying for an observer status for the Muslim rebel group in the OIC during the organization's meeting that ends in Kuala Lumpur today.

Bajunaid said the OIC resolution, which was released the other day, called on charitable institutions in OIC-member countries to help rehabilitate people in war-torn areas in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Bajunaid said the MILF is confused why former executive secretary Ruben Torres has been discussing the draft interim agreement with MILF political officer Ghadzali Jaafar in Kuala Lumpur while chief government negotiator Edgardo Batenga was initiating a backdoor dialogue with MILF negotiator Alim Abdulaziz Mimbantas.

"We are entertaining doubts on this matter," he said. "What is the need for these separate initiatives," he said. "For us the sincerity of the intention is manifested in the action of every individual. What are these separate initiatives for?"--With reports from Marichu Villanueva, Edith Regalado, Roel Pareño