Tboli villagers condemn MILF attack

By SERAFIN RAMOS JR.

GASI, Kiamba, Sarangani (October 5, 2008) – Tboli villagers condemnedan attack by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels that leftfive barangay buildings razed to the ground, including a Tindahan saKalinaw (store for peace) and a day-care center.

The MILF rebels also torched the building where the village chairmanand the local council hold office, a waiting shed and a stage used forvarious activities.

Barangay chairman Mariano Fado wants "justice for what happened to ourbarangay."He asked higher authorities to investigate the incident and fileappropriate charges against the culprits.Fado said an armed group he refused to name had warned villagers toevacuate or their village would be torched."Unsa pud among kasalanan. Wala man ko kalaban na Muslim. Open man kosa ila bakit ganun?" Fado said.At around 12:20 am Saturday, Fado said a village guard saw two personsenter the barangay government compound gate while the rest of thearmed group went around the buildings."Siguro gasolina ang ginamit nila kasi bigla man nag apoy," he said.Fado said Tboli villagers were being recruited before but nobody fromthe village joined the armed group."Kung sino ang may kasalan hanapin natin, i-file natin ng kaso,"Fado said. "Insulto din yan sa amin, sa mga Lumads."

Pastor Nonie Sambuan said some 30 heavily armed men arrived on that night."After torching the buildings, they fired shots in the air when theyfled," Sambuan said.Gasi was a peaceful lumad barangay, he said, "thus the perpetratorsmust be hunted down and brought to justice because they inflictedheavy damage to our barangay."

"I was so worried that the rebels were taking all the goods at thestore," said Rosita Fado, a village worker."Authorities must look for them for their offenses here," she added.

Col. Rainier Cruz, commander of the Army 1002nd Infantry Brigade based in Sarangani, said rebels from 105th base command of the MILF wasresponsible for the attacks.The MILF raided Gasi following a botched attack a couple of hoursearlier in adjacent Kling Plantation.Plantation guard Jupiter Pequiro, who was wounded in the attack,disclosed that splinters of the first rocket grenade fired by therebels hit Gloria Lyn Barrientos in the abdomen."It was followed by automatic fire towards my post so I fired back,"Pequiro said.The guard said the attackers fired an M203 grenade that slightlyinjured his foot.Reinforcing plantation guards returned fire forcing the rebels towithdraw, Pequiro said. The firefight lasted for about five minutes.

Kiamba police chief Inspector Alex Joe Orcajada said the plantation'ssecurity set-up and immediate police response prompted the raiders toleave.Orcajada disclosed that a witness has identified one of the attackers.

Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, whose family owns KlingPlantation, said officials of barangays Kling and Gasi were putting upa community defense system.The system includes training for citizens and a strong informationnetwork among barangays."We will support the PNP and military to stop the terrorist acts ofthe armed groups," Solon added.

In June, civilians in Maitum were held hostage by MILF who swooped down from Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. A civilian volunteer was killed by rebels in barangay Ticulab.The MILF-triggered evacuation of civilians in three barangays came as villagers were returning to their homes in the aftermath offlashfloods caused by typhoon Frank.

In August, MILF forces killed two innocent civilians, wounded anotherand ransacked Maasim public market. The rebels attacked the town halland police station but outnumbered policemen repulsed them.A warrant of arrest for the crime of murder, destructive arson, arson,robbery with violence against and/or intimidation of persons has beenissued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 38 for at least 50 accused"members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)." (SARANGANIINFORMATION OFFICE)