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Philippine military vows action after Muslim rebels' rampage
Philippines News.Net
Tuesday 19th August, 2008 (IANS)
The Philippine military Tuesday vowed to take 'aggressive actions' against Muslim separatist rebels who killed 49 people in a deadly rampage that also displaced more than 36,000 residents in southern provinces.
General Alexander Yano, armed forces chief of staff, said government forces were hunting down Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels after a string of attacks in the southern region of Mindanao since the weekend.
The guerrillas Monday burned homes and buildings, ransacked businesses and government offices, hacked civilians with machetes, gunned civilians down and ambushed passenger vehicles in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Sarangani, killing 41 people.
The rebels Sunday ambushed a military convoy in Lanao del Sur, killing eight army soldiers and militiamen. They also bombed two budget hotels in nearby Iligan city, wounding four people.
'We will pursue and take aggressive actions against the perpetrators of these dastardly acts against innocent civilians,' Yano said. 'We will continue with the operations. It will not stop with the clearing of the areas occupied by them.'
Yano also rejected statements by the MILF that the attacks were not sanctioned by the rebel group's leadership and that ground guerrilla commanders were frustrated over setbacks in peace talks with the government.
'We cannot forever take the convenient excuse from the hierarchy of a group that is supposedly talking peace with the government,' he said. 'It is their responsibility, if they are really sincere and well-meaning, to rein in their forces.'
Yano added that if the MILF failed to pacify its forces, 'then the government will certainly control them'.
The MILF is the largest Muslim rebel group fighting for a separate Islamic state in Mindanao.
Two weeks ago, the Philippine government and the MILF were supposed to sign a homeland deal that would have expanded an existing Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.
But the Supreme Court stopped the signing of the agreement after Christian politicians in Mindanao filed petitions questioning the constitutionality of the deal. The high tribunal heard oral arguments in the case Monday, but it has yet to issue a final decision.
Since the aborted signing of the homeland deal, MILF rebels have intensified attacks in Mindanao, where they occupied dozens of villages in North Cotabato province and a town in Basilan province last week.
Fifty-three people were killed in the fighting in North Cotabato and Basilan. Nearly 60,000 residents were also displaced in North Cotabato. Half of them have so far been able to return to their homes.
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Comments on this story
Anonymous
08-19-08, 11:13 PM |
Philippine military vows action after Muslim rebels' rampage
When is the world going to WAKE UP. The entire HISTORY of the Muslim religion and the KORAN itself is that of using force to convert people to its religion and to take land. This is not the religion of “peace”, it has always been the religion of WAR. This is the CORE of the religion. Those muslims that claim to be peace loving are not true muslims or they are liars. n There is no gray area here people, I have spelled out the simple plain truth...whether you like it or not.
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Mocs Ali
08-20-08, 04:02 AM |
Islam is the true religion of peace, complete way of life.
You know, We Muslims cherish to death dubbed as “Martyrdom” , we never surrender until there’s remaining single Muslim in Mindanao until to hold back our home land at thesame time we stand the Islammic State in Mindanao. the Government has so many propagandas,caused the don’t like to confess their conpicuous mistakes ever along with the rights of Indigineous & furious muslims in Mindanao to claim their own land at thesame time will implement the Holy books “Qur-an” as to be Laws entire muslims. what they are using is flexible. But if we go back to the Past history in the Philippines with the strugglers of Filipinos in our country, that we can understand that Muslims in Mindanao whom attained their victory through their furious, dignity and pride to be colonized by all conquerors such Spaniards, Americans and etc. to enter in new Religion as Christian and to take their home land, but later on they were failed with their Plan or purpose until predominantly numbers of conquerors were killed by the hands of furious muslims, except less people among them will make agreement to stand peace in Mindanao. but take note that Muslims in Mindanao are still firm for their struggle to return back their home land and to die as Suhadah, we love to die caused we ultimately know and understand that our death are in paradise with complete knowledge that our religion is true and peace.
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dark angel
08-20-08, 04:52 AM |
ay...ewan ko sa inyo,,para sake christiano kaman or muslim..........
pare pareho lang maga bu-ang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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