MORO Islamic Liberation Front peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal appeared at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano incident on Thursday and reiterated that while the MILF remains a “revolutionary organization,” it rejects all forms of terrorism.
chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal during the resumption of the Senate
hearing in the clash in Mamasapano in Maguindanao on Jan. 25,
which resulted in the death of 44 Police commandos. Lino Santos
“The MILF is against all forms of terrorism. We have made a solemn vow to fight terrorism in our areas. Terrorism is inconsistent with Islam and has no place in the orientation and principles of the MILF,” Iqbal said.
“Our previous actions bear witness to our commitment against terrorism. To tag the MILF as a terrorist groups is unfair,” Iqbal said, stressing that they did not harbor Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir nor are they abetting Filipino bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman.
He also condemned the images portrayed in a video that went viral on the internet showing the execution of one of the 44 police commandos who died in the clash with MILF forces in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.
“I think if there’s a word higher than terrorist, they will be that,” said Iqbal, adding however that the atrocity portrayed in the video was probably not committed by MILF.
Iqbal said he has to use the term “misencounter” for the Mamasapano incident for lack of a better term, but the clash was unfortunate and the MILF is already conducting its own investigation into the battle.
“We need a fair and partial investigation so we will know the truth,” Iqbal said. ““It was something that nobody planned or wanted. We thought that we had effective protocols and mechanisms in place that would prevent things like these from the happening.”
He also said the MILF was not the only group that was present in the area. He said SAF fought other armed individuals belonging to different networks and groups.
“We did not know that Basit Usman was there and Marwan was there,” Iqbal said in Filipino. “In a civilian community, you cannot compartmentalize the people, and Basit Usman is in hiding.”
He said the MILF, like the Philippine government, cannot be complete control of areas, particularly those that are difficult to reach so they cannot completely monitor the coming and going of people.
“We have control in certain areas but not total control,” he said, reiterating that the MILF was not colluding with the BIFF in their acts of terrorism.
“We do not share the same goals and objectives. There is no truth to the allegation that we are conniving with each other,” he said, adding that the MILF rushed to the site of the clash to help stop the fighting.
But because of limited communications and the continued fighting, they only managed to stop the fighting on the afternoon of January 25.
He said the MILF does not wish to return to armed conflict because “that is a path we will no longer return to, where we all lose, where we are all victims.”
“On the part of the MILF, we are committed to peace,” he said. “For us there is no other option except the option of peace.”
Iqbal however lamented Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s insinuations that Moros repay public goods and services like roads from the government by going up in arms.