March 1, 2000, Philippine Star, Army deploys armored vehicles in 3 Mindanao cities, by berty Dones,

March 1, 2000, Philippine Star, Army deploys armored vehicles in 3 Mindanao cities, by berty Dones,

OZAMIS City -- The Army has deployed armored personnel carriers in strategic spots here and in the neighboring cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro where tension continued to build up following a spate of bombings by suspected Muslim separatist rebels.

This developed as President Estrada said there was no need to declare a state of emergency in Mindanao despite the bomb attacks which killed at least 44 people.

Local police forces were also placed on "double red alert" against imminent attacks by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas.

On the other hand, local government officials held a series of closed-door meetings with the military commanders amid reports that MILF rebels who fled to Bacolod town in Lanao del Norte after their Camp Omar in Maguindanao was captured by government troops.

Elements of the 402nd Infantry Brigade secured a major depot of Petron and Pilipinas Shell in Iligan City, while military checkpoints were set up in various towns leading to Lanao del Norte.

Soldiers also provided tight security for bus terminals and ferries plying the Ozamis-Kolambugan route.

Former Iligan Councilor Moises Dalisay urged the national leadership and Congress to act on the tinderbox situation in Mindanao "instead of focusing their attention on priest-killer Norberto Manero."

However, Ozamis City Mayor Benjamin Fuentes downplayed the situation, saying the bombings in his city were isolated incidents, and called on his constituents to remain calm as the government was taking appropriate steps to address the problem.

Fuentes quoted police regional director Chief Superintendent Dominador Domingo that the perpetrators of the bomb blast that shattered at least three passenger buses while aboard a ferry last Friday, as well as of the strafing of a Muslim mosque and other violent incidents over the past few days, would be captured and prosecuted.

Meanwhile, probers were eyeing the possible involvement of the Tomarompong brothers in the bombing of the passenger buses aboard the ferry M/V Our Lady of Mediatrix which left at least 39 people dead.

A local government executive claimed that the suspects blamed the bus company for the death of another brother.

The Tomarompong brothers and their cohorts also allegedly hijacked and torched a Super 5 passenger bus last month in Lanao del Norte, and held hostage, but later released unharmed, the driver and his conductor.

The fundamentalist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in a statement, said it would conduct its own investigation on the bombing incidents.

MILF chief for internal affairs Abdulaziz Mimbantas said MILF members found to have participated in the terrorist attacks would be meted the death penalty.

In another development, MILF chief of staff Mohamad Murad said they have detained three alleged military spies nabbed on the eve of the resumption of peace talks with the government.

Murad charged that the suspected spies were also responsible for the bomb attacks as part of what he called a military plot to depict the MILF as a terrorist organization.

Murad claimed the attacks would give the Army an excuse to mount an offensive against his group and create a war scenario in Mindanao.

"These three military assets which we have uncovered have penetrated the ranks of our troops. They are the ones committing these atrocities...in order that these atrocities will be blamed on the MILF," Murad said.

However, Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes merely laughed off Murad's allegations which he described as "very, very fantastic."

"If he can be a journalist or a fiction writer, I think he can do better there," Reyes told reporters.

Murad said the three infiltrators would be tried under an Islamic court and could be sentenced to death if found guilty.

No reason to declare emergency - Estrada

"There is no cause to call for a state of emergency. As I have said, the government and the military are in control of the situation," the President said during a visit to Davao City.

Mr. Estrada was reacting to a call by Mayor Librado Navarro of Mahiratag, Surigao del Sur to declare a state of emergency in Mindanao in the light of the bomb attacks.

He said the situation was only being exacerbated by the media.

"They are isolated incidents and our authorities are looking into the matter. There is nothing to worry about," Mr. Estrada said.

At the same time, the Chief Executive said the investigators already have a lead on the suspects in the bombings, but refused to give details pending completion of the probe.

He also said peace negotiations with the MILF will push through despite sporadic clashes between soldiers and Muslim rebels.

Government and MILF peace negotiators were scheduled to meet today for their second round of formal talks at be held at the Estosan Hotel in Cotabato City.

"I hope that we can finally have peace in Mindanao," the President said during yesterday's multi-sectoral assembly in Butuan City.

The peace panelists have yet to come up with a final agenda for the formal negotiations. Exploratory talks that lasted three years have so far been limited to agenda-setting.

Observers feared that at the current pace of the talks, it would be impossible to meet the June deadline set by Mr. Estrada for the forging of a permanent peace treaty.

"It's just impossible. The panels have not even gone down to the nitty-gritty of the talks," a government panel member said.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, himself a former Army colonel, blamed the government for the worsening problem in the South, but opposed the declaration of a state of emergency in the region.

Honasan said the civil strife in Mindanao would not have reached its current dimension had the government been able to come out with a comprehensive peace agenda.

He proposed the creation of a coordinating committee that would spearhead the forging of cessation of hostilities. "We could ease the problem through the formation of a coordinating committee. The warring groups would recognize the committee through the strength of the government," Honasan stressed.

He added that declaring a state of emergency would only sow panic among the people and create the impression that the government has lost control of the situation in Mindanao. -