June 5, 2001, The Philippine Star, MILF to refuse aid to Sayyaf,

June 5, 2001, The Philippine Star, MILF to refuse aid to Sayyaf, cache, 

A Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official assured the government yesterday that the secessionist group would not help Abu Sayyaf bandits escape a massive military offensive in Basilan to free Filipino and American hostages. 

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said there was no point in "entertaining the idea" that the rebel group was providing sanctuary to the Abu Sayyaf. 

In Iloilo City, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan accused the MILF yesterday of helping the Abu Sayyaf with guns, ammunition and bases in the past. 

"If MILF members are sincere in their cooperation... then they must not support the Abu Sayyaf," he said. 

Kabalu, however, said kidnapping "is condemnable, un-Islamic and unacceptable to Islam… This action deserves to be condemned." 

He said the MILF has a brigade stationed in Basilan, where heavy fighting raged between government troops and the Abu Sayyaf during the weekend. 

"The MILF has no organizational relations with the Abu Sayyaf," Kabalu said. "We have no tactical alliance with the group." 

Earlier, military officials said the secessionist group might provide sanctuary to the Abu Sayyaf in territories under MILF control, which are off limits to government troops. 

Adan said over radio that some guerrillas fighting government troops in Basilan might be MILF rebels, and "not purely" members of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group. 

"We cannot deny the fact that most of the relatives of the Abu Sayyaf are also MILF (members) and they are supporting the Abu Sayyaf with arms and troops," he said. 

Adan said the number of Abu Sayyaf fighters has sometimes reached 100, especially when they are receiving arms and ammunition from the MILF. 

"If no one is helping this Abu Sayyaf, they will not survive," he said. 

Adan said 13 soldiers have been killed and 41 wounded since the military started the operation to rescue the hostages, whom the bandits have held for a week. 

"With the hostages and strategic locations of the Abu Sayyaf, we cannot easily penetrate the area," he said. "We should respect the move of the soldiers that they cannot attack easily because they want to protect the hostages." 

Adan said peace negotiations between the government and MILF may be "adversely affected" if the rebels are shown to be helping the Abu Sayyaf. 

"If they (MILF) will support, if they will provide logistics, then it would be a sign of insincerity on their part," he said. "In the past, they did that, we hope they do not provide support to them, but we know that complex is occupied by several MILF units." 

Adan was referring to Tuburan town, a known stronghold of the MILF, where the Abu Sayyaf fighters have fled. 

"In the past, there have been instances wherein MILF forces provided support, rifles, ammunition, guerrillas for the rebels to avoid government operations and this must not happen," he said. 

Meanwhile, government and MILF representatives may not resume peace negotiations within the next three weeks as scheduled. 

Under the preliminary agreement between the government and the MILF, the stalled talks would resume within 30 days from March 24, when the pact was signed. 

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza told The STAR yesterday he had been holding "backchannel talks" with Ghazali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, and Lanang Ali, MILF legal counsel, to determine when and where the negotiations will take place. 

"Let us not put a timetable to it," he said. "What is important is, we are working on it. We are still working on these aspects. There is no clear date or venue yet. But rest assured we are working on it." 

The peace talks stalled last year after ousted President Joseph Estrada declared an all-out war against the MILF, which led to the capture of 46 rebel camps, including the stronghold of Abubakar in Parang, Maguindanao. 

Last week, five members of the government peace panel reportedly held a workshop on the mechanics and strategy on the peace process in preparation for the resumption of negotiations. 

On the other hand, the MILF reportedly spearheaded a three-day Bangsamoro Assembly in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat wherein participants sought the help of the United Nations in holding an independence referendum in Mindanao. 

But MILF officials denied being behind the Bangsamoro Assembly, although military intelligence sources insisted that they organized it. 

Jaafar assured Dureza that the MILF had no hand in holding the assembly, which Muslims from all over Mindanao consider as an important venue for voicing out their concerns. -- Edith Regalado, Paolo Romero, Leo Solinap