Residents disprove desecration of mosque

DALIAO, Maasim, Sarangani (September 18, 2008) – Villagers joined army troops and local officials Wednesday (September 17) to see for themselves a mosque in Camp Khalid bin Walid reportedly devastated by the military.

However, they found out such reports were false.

"Ang mosque diri wala natandog (The mosque here was not touched)," said barangay captain Abdurajes Pangolima, who led scores of other residents to the camp.

"Wala man poy natandog sa mga gamit nila, gamit sa mga brothers natong MILF ok man. Ang mga balay pud mao gihapon (Their things were not touched, things of our brothers MILF are ok. Their houses are just the same)," he added.

The mosque was built at the center of MILF's Camp Khalid bin Walid.

Less than 50 meters from this mosque is an old dilapidated mosque used to be the resting place of the armed group before an encounter took place September 12 some 500 meters away from the camp.

"Hindi totoo na na-disturbo ng military 'yong pagsambayang nila. Kasi kung nagsambayang sila, naabutan sila dyan (It's not true that the military disturbed their prayer because if they did pray, surely they were captured there)," recounted Julis Maguid, a Muslim leader.

"Hindi naman sinunog ang mga bahay. 'Yong mga civilian wala namang order ang military na mag-bakwit ang lahat ng civilian pero yong hindi nakatiis yon ang lumipat (Houses were not burned. The civilians were not ordered by the military to evacuate, but those who were scared really left)," Maguid disclosed.

"Pero kami nandyan man kami hindi po kami umalis (But we were just in our houses. We did not leave)," he said.

The military said it was in Camp Khalid where a rogue MILF group planned the August 18 attack of Maasim poblacion which resulted to the murder of two innocent civilians.

Police provincial director S/Supt. Danilo Peralta, in a press briefing Wednesday morning (September 17), disclosed that according to intelligence reports, Commander Alo Binago, under the command of Commander Ameril Umbra Kato of the 105th MILF base command, arrived in Camp Khalid earlier and led the attack in Maasim poblacion on August 18.

In the said briefing, Peralta showed local media warrants of arrest for Commander Binago, Taha Maguid Sapal alias Commander Taha, Manawi Ibrahim alias Commander Lawin, Jayon Saligan alias Commander Aguilar, and 45 others for murder, frustrated murder, arson, and robbery.

The warrants of arrest were issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 38 Tuesday (September 16).

"With these warrants of arrest, these men are now no less than Commander Umbra Kato and Commander Bravo who are considered as Lawless MILF Groups (LMGs)," Peralta said.

Commander Aguilar is the base camp commander of the 107th base command in Daliao.

Police said the MILF has transferred its 107th base command at least thrice - from Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, then to barangay Pananag in Maasim, and now in Daliao.

"Dito talaga sila nagtagal (They really stayed here longer)," Maguid said.

"Makita ta tanan diri karon nga wala nahitabo sa Mosque, wala mi ga-damage, wala namo gisunog (Now we see for ourselves nothing happened to the mosque, we did not damage it, we did not burn it)," 2nd Lt. Angel Cinco of the 73rd Infantry Battalion told villagers and local officials at the site.

"Kung buot huna-hunaon sa nakita nato nga ebidensiya mao na ang ilhanan nga nagrespeto gyud ta sa ilaha (If we really come to think of it, this evidence show that we really respect them)," a resident who refused to disclose his name said.

"Siyempre ginahimo sa military ang sugo sa ilaha nga sudlon. Normal na kay naay nahitabo (Of course, the military just follow their orders. It's normal because something happened)," another resident said.

Armed men responsible for the attack of Maasim town hall, the police office, and the killing of two innocent civilians were sighted and engaged by patrolling troops of 73rd IB in the area that Friday. The said group has been the subject of complaints by civilians who have virtually evacuated the area for fear of atrocities to be perpetrated by the group.

"Regular yong patrol kasi may persistent report, pag hindi namin ginawa yong pagpa-patrol, eh hindi naming ginagawa yong tungkulin naming," said Lt. Col. Edgardo De Leon, battalion commander of the 73rd IB. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)