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August 20, 2009, GMA News, 9:26 AM, Soldiers comb Balabac Island for booby traps,

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August 20, 2009, GMA News, 9:26 AM, Soldiers comb Balabac Island for booby traps,

After liberating an island in Palawan from a group of renegade members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), government troops are combing the area for possible landmines and booby traps.

Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Thursday the clearing operations are focused on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that are possibly left in the area.

“Bahagi sa clearing operation natin ang paghahanap ng booby traps, IEDs na maaaring naiwan sa lugar(Part of the clearing operation includes looking for improvised explosives and booby traps)," he said in an interview on dzXL radio.

Government troops ended Wednesday the siege by the rogue MNLF unit on residents of Matangguli Island in Balabac town in Palawan province.

Brawner said that as of Thursday morning, at least seven MNLF men were confirmed dead, two captured and around 10 are being hunted. 

He said the rogues arrived in the island last Saturday and started looting groceries and extorted money from residents.

“Noong una, akala natin pagnanakaw ang motibo nila. Kalaunan, napag-alaman natin na may arrest warrantpala ang ilan sa kanila... kaya ang isa pang angulo na tinitingnan natin ay ginawa nila ang pang-atake para hindi mai-serve ang arrest warrantlaban sa iilang kasama sa grupo (At first we thought the motive was plain robbery. We discovered later that some of them had outstanding arrest warrants, so we suspect they may be trying to preempt eventual arrest)," he said.

Brawner said some of the MNLF rogues had arrest warrants for illegal possession of firearms and illegal discharge of firearms.

On the other hand, Brawner admitted the rogues managed to get in the island because police and military troops cannot keep watch over the area’s winding shorelines.

“Island kasi ito. Kung titingnan natin sa mapa maraming isla at mahaba ang coastline 'di natin mabantayan lahat. Puwede pasukin ang isla from all points, from all directions kaya talagang mahirap bantayan (This is an island with a winding coastline we cannot keep watch on them all the time)," he said.

He said the renegade group even rejected former MNLF chairman Nur Misuari’s offer to negotiate with it.

“This is considered a breakaway group. 'Di sumusunod sa leader at nag-volunteer si Mr. Nur Misuari na mag-negotiate. Unfortunately 'di sila nakinig (This is considered a breakaway group. It doesn't follow the MNLF’s leadership, and even rejected the offer of former chairman Misuari," he said. - GMANews.TV

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