The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) insisted in its 35-page report to the Senate that MILF fighters had immediately obeyed a ceasefire call during the January 25 misencounter with Special Action Force (SAF) police officers in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The MILF Special Investigative Commission report, submitted to the Senate on Tuesday, said that the members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Force (BIAF), the MILF’s 105th,Base (BC) specifically, immediately ceased firing on the SAF troopers after they received a ceasefire order from the Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH).
The report went on to explain that CCCH chair Ustadz Wahid Tundok arrived in Sitio Amelil, Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town before,1:30 p.m. on January 25, and ordered the BIAF to stop shooting.
Fighting was heaviest in Sitio Amelil, where the SAF’s 55th Special Action Company (SAC) found itself engaged bt both the MILF- BIAF and gunmen from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
“From this account, it is clear that the 105th,BC (Base Command upon receipt of the order to stop firing, immediately ceased shooting at the 55thSAC. There were no lapses in heeding the call for a ceasefire,” the report claimed.
“Unfortunately, it was already too late as most of the SAF 55th,SAC had already been killed in the course of the intense fighting even before the order for a ceasefire was received on the grounds,” the report added.
This MILF report’s finding were contrary to the claim of relieved SAF commander Director Getulio Napeñas, made during a Senate hearing, that only SAF commandos obeyed the ceasefire call.
“Unilaterally huminto po talaga ang SAF… but based on our monitoring of the situation on the ground, hindi po sila tumigil. Tuloy-tuloy po sila sa pag-engage sa troops nating hanggang,6 p.m.,” Napeñas had said.
The MILF maintained that it was even the MILF members of the CCCH who first informed its counterpart in the government ,about the encounter. It was even the MILF member who first suggested to its counterpart in the government “to immediately proceed to the encounter site to find ways to effect the ceasefire and disengage the fighting forces”. — DVM, GMA News
