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(3rd update 8:28 p.m.) A breakaway group of Muslim rebels armed with chainsaws and guns launched simultaneous attacks across 11 towns in Mindanao Monday, leading to still ongoing clashes with troops.
The government's peace adviser said the raids, done by a breakaway group, won't derail peace talks with the MILF.
At least two rebels were killed and a soldier was wounded after armed men believed to be members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) attacked several Army detachments in Maguindanao beginning Sunday night.
Col. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, said a soldier was killed in the skirmishes between the BIFF and the Army after he tried to evade a checkpoint in the area.
There are an undetermined number of casualties from the BIFF.
The BIFF is led by Ameril Umbrakato, a Saudi Arabian-educated guerrilla who splintered from the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which had entered into peace talks with Manila.
The rebels had cut down electrical relay posts before dawn, plunging several towns into darkness.
Colonel Prudencio Asto, spokesman of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said two members of the BIFF were killed in skirmishes that erupted after around 500 rebels simultaneously attacked patrol bases and detachments of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade at the fringes of Camp Omar Complex in Barangay Cabengi, Datu Saudi Ampatuan; Barangay Bagan, Guindulungan; and Barangays Meta and Maitumaig in Datu Unsay.
The attacks started past 11:30 p.m. Sunday night and skirmishes are still ongoing at this time, forcing the suspension of the day's classes in nearby schools.
In a separate report, the Philippine News Agency said two rebels and a civilian were killed and four militiamen were hurt in the simultaneous attacks.
The highway remains closed and the military are advising commuters to use the other route from Cotabato City towards Maguindanao.
The PNA report also said that the military denied reports that a town police station was occupied by the renegade rebels.
But authorities have advised the people "to remain in their respective homes to avoid being caught in the cross fire," he said.
Asto said the detachments were all located along the highway, closing down roads particularly the road connecting Cotabato City to the rest of Maguindanao and toward General Santos City.
The Office of Civil Defense in ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) said classes and government work were already suspended because of the fighting in the affected towns.
The headquarters of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Shariff Aguak and the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Barangay Cabengi, Datu Saudi Ampatuan were also fired upon by the armed suspects.
Asto said the attacks were allegedly retaliatory attacks of the BIFF after they claimed that two of their men were allegedly killed by soldiers.
At this time, a UH1H and MG 520 helicopters have been deployed to the area for reinforcement.
Internally displaced refugeees
The fighting raised fears it could lead to large displacements of villagers, said regional military spokesman Asto.
"We are on defensive posture now and we will take care of the communities and the people," he said, adding that commuters were also advised to avoid passing along highways where fighting could spill over.
Umbrakato had boasted of having about 5,000 armed fighters, though military officials believe he only has a few hundred under his command.
Umbrakato is known to be a Muslim hardliner and he has accused his former comrades of betraying the rebellion's ultimate goal of an independent Islamic state in the troubled south.
The government has said it hopes to sign a peace deal with the MILF by the end of the year, but had asked the MILF leadership to help contain Umbrakato's forces.
The Muslim insurgency began in the early 1970s and the fighting has killed some 150,000 people as well as plunged large parts of the south into deep poverty.
Govt peace panel: raid won't derail talks
The government condemned the attack on Army detachments in 11 Maguindanao towns by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (formerly the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters), the group led by Ameril Umbra Kato.
At the same time, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Deles said the recent incident that led to the death of two rebels and the wounding of one soldier would not derail ongoing peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Deles said the BIFM is not part of the MILF and as such is not covered by the cease-fire agreement and the government is ready to conduct "necessary defense actions" to protect residents in affected areas.
Deles said the attacks by the BIFM were led by a certain Ustadz Carialan, chief of staff of the BIFM.
"We strongly condemn the unprovoked and senseless attacks of the BIFM in the municipalities of Talayan, Datu Unsay, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao; and in Midsayap in North Cotabato," she said in a statement.
"The attacks initiated by this lawless group during Ramadhan only demonstrate their disrespect for this holy month of our Muslim faithful, and their disregard for innocent lives that can be displaced or lost during their irrational assault," Deles added.
Formerly known as Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the BIFM is led by Kato who, together with his followers, broke away from the MILF who declared him as a “bougat or one who defies or does not obey an order.”
The government and the MILF panels will start this week the 30th Formal Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
"We remain firm in our resolve to continue engaging the MILF on the negotiation table until we are able to reach an agreement to finally resolve the conflict in Mindanao and bring peace to our people who have suffered the most," Deles said. With Agence France-Presse and the Philippine News Agency
