Hostage crisis over; detained soldiers, MILF freed

Press Release

MILF turns over captured AFP firearms and gadgets to IMT

The MILF-AHJAG, MILF-CCCH and Local Monitoring Team (LMT) turned over to the INTERNATIONAL MONITORING TEAM (IMT) the remaining AFP firearms and gadgets captured by MILF troops under CMDR MERCURY from elements of the AFP’s 51st IB led by LT RONALD DACAWI during a disrupted operation in Brgy. Taluan, Lumbabayabao, Lanao del Sur on May 11, 2007 against a notorious criminal group headed by Dimaporo Masacal alias Delta Force. This group was the object of a continuing military operation, which was started last year, by the AFP/PNP and BIAF that is being coordinated by the GRP-MILF AHJAG on the basis of a warrant of arrest issued by a court for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder. The operation could have resulted to the capture of Delta Force and his gang had it not been for the untimely arrival of the PA soldiers, which resulted to the diversion of the attention of the operating MILF troops to the approaching AFP troops.The remaining firearms and military gadgets that was turned over composed of 5 pieces of M16 Armalite rifles, 16 magazines with bullets, 2 pieces rifle grenades, 1 unit Motorola 2-way radio, 4 pcs bandoline and other minor items.The ceremonial turn over that started at around 9:30 am at the LMT Headquarters, PMTC Bldg., Bangon, Marawi City was made by DR. SAFFRULLAH M. DIPATUAN representing the MILF AHJAG and CCCH to COL. NOURODEEN AL-HEGNI, Team Leader of IMT Team Site 2 stationed in Iligan City. They were assisted by LTC JASNI of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Ustaz Abusaliha Macacuna and Rudy Pacasum of MILF-CCCH, Engr. Alioden Sangcopan of MILF-AHJAG, Agakhan Sharief, Acmad Lao, Alim Khair Hanafi, Said Sheikh, Musa Diamla and Adona G. Orquillas of the MILF and GRP Local Monitoring Teams.The event was witnessed by P/SSUPT Gani Asira, Deputy Provincial Director of the Lanao del Sur PNP Command, members of NGO’s and CSO’s, and different media organizations such as ABS-CBN, GMA-7, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Radyo ng Bayan Marawi, DXSM Radio and others.After the end of the turn over at around 10:30 am, the IMT brought the items and proceeded to Kampo Ranao, Marawi City to hand over the same to the AFP’s 51st IB.
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GRP-MILFADHOC JOINT ACTION GROUP

Cotabato City

DATE : March 12, 2007

FOR : ATTY, ABDUL M. DATAYA

Chairman, MILF AHJAG

FROM: DR. SAFFRULLAH M. DIPATUAN

Core Member, MILF AHJAG

SUBJECT: Operation against the notorious criminal Delta ForceI.

Period covered: March 11 - 12, 2007

II. Units involved: Elements of BIAF, MILF under Cmdr Mercury

III. Narrative of the Operation: Since March 3, 2007, the MILF received reports from local residents of Brgy. Taluan, Lumbabayabao, Lanao del Sur regarding the return of the group of Mr. Elias Masacal alias Delta Force, a notorious criminal with standing warrants of arrest for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder. Said group was the object of a Joint GRP-MILF AHJAG operation last year that resulted to the death of Lannie Masacal, son of Delta Force. Since then, Delta Force went to hiding but operation is on-going to locate him. Local residents also complained that the house of Delta Force is serving as a haven for re-packing Shabu for distribution to local dealers and pushers.The MILF intel operatives conducted validation activities that yielded positive result. On the morning of March 3, 2007 Cmdr Mercury informed the MILF AHJAG that they are about to operate on Delta Force. As usually done during the time of the Marines, the MILF troops coordinated with the Philippine Army soldiers stationed in Poonabayabao, Lanao del Sur showing them the warrant of arrest. In turn, the Army soldiers gave assurance that they will monitor the operation and extend assistance if requested. High level coordination was made with the GRP AHJAG thru Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino who requested to temporarily suspend the operation against Delta Force until such time that the GRP AHJAG has replaced its Team 2 member who was transferred to Basilan. Unfortunately, the MILF was unable to withhold the operation due to time constraints. Furthermore, withholding the operation will enable the group of Delta Force to escape.Shortly before noontime, while the MILF troops are closing in on the lair of Delta Force, Philippine Army troops from Campo Ranao, Marawi City suddenly arrived at the scene. They immediately arrested and disarmed several MILF troops assigned near the highway to block the possible exit of the criminals. At the same time, some of the soldiers from Marawi City were ordered by their senior officers to proceed to Brgy. Taluan allegedly to talk to Cmdr Mercury. Incidentally, when the soldiers were approaching, Cmdr Mercury received a call informing him that some of his men were captured and disarmed by the soldiers. Sensing danger and becoming suspicious of the Army, Cmdr. Mercury ordered his men to surround and capture the soldiers entering the area. The diversion of the attention of the MILF troops to the soldiers resulted into the eventual escape of Delta Force. The criminal group, however, allegedly suffered 2 casualties before they were able to slip out.The MILF-AHJAG, in coordination with MILF-CCCH, LMT and the IMT Team Site 2 members stationed in Iligan arrived at the scene at around 5 pm to disengage the Army and MILF troops and, subsequently, diffuse the tension. After the negotiation three (3) MILF troops were released by the Army soldiers including their firearms and, on the other hand, Seven (7) Army troops belonging to the 51st IB stationed in Marawi City were also released to the IMT. Negotiation to return the firearms and other confiscated items of the Army troops is currently on-going.IV. Result of the Operation: Two of the members of the gang of Delta Force were either allegedly killed or wounded but Delta Force, himself, was able to escape when the attention of the MILF troops was diverted to the entering Army troops. No fires were shot between the Army and MILF troops and no one was hurt.V. Observations, Conclusions and Recommendations: The recently assigned Philippine Army troops in Lanao del Sur utterly lack adequate information regarding GRP’s policy on the primacy of the peace process and the existence of cooperation and coordination mechanisms between the AFP/PNP, on one hand, and the BIAF-MILF, on the other hand, in the pursuit of criminal elements and kidnap-for-ransom groups. The soldiers are also unaware that the said criminal group is being protected by a politician in Lanao del Sur who happens to be their relative. Furthermore, the lack of a GRP-AHJAG Team Site 2 member in Lanao del Sur who could serve as a focal or contact person is also another cause of the almost tragic incident that would have happened.It is, therefore, very important that the postponed peace advocacy on March 4, 2007 for AFP, PNP and local government officials in Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and Iligan City, must be fast tracked and conducted in the soonest possible time. In addition, the former GRP-AHJAG Team Site 2 member who was transferred to Basilan must be replaced as soon as possible by a senior officer of the Army soldiers presently stationed in Lanao del Sur or Lanao del Norte to serve as a focal person for coordination.

DR. SAFFRULLAH M. DIPATUAN

Related reports on this incident:


Hostage crisis over; detained soldiers, MILF freed
Written by Violeta M. Gloria/MindaNews

Sunday, 11 March 2007 21 37 44
ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/11 March) – “It’s over.”Brig. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, chair of the government peace panel in the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) told MindaNews at 6:30 p.m. Sunday that the crisis in Lumba-Bayabao town in Lanao del Sur where at least 20 soldiers were held “hostage and considered captured” by the MILF since mid-afternoon was over “around 15 minutes ago.” Members of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT), the AHJAG, Joint Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) and rushed to the area to negotiate a resolution to the crisis. In the end, the MILF agreed to release the “more than 20” soldiers held hostage by MILF Commander Mercury while the government released the seven MILF guerrillas who were arrested and disarmed after the turned over to the soldiers a captured member of the Delta Force, allegedly “public enemy number one” in the area.Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan, vice chair of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) and a member of MILF peace panel in the AHJAG said the hostage of soldiers was not in retaliation for ongoing operations in Cotabato but a “a retaliatory move of the MILF after seven of them were earlier captured by Army soldiers while they were conducting operations against the Delta Force group.”Dipatuan said the Delta Force was a notorious group charged with multiple murders. The AHJAG, composed of government and MILF representatives, has a warrant of arrest for the capture of these criminals.Dolorfino said traced the crisis to the overzealousness on the part of both forces. Apparrently, he said, the MILF guerrillas were overzealous in pursuing elements of the Delta Force, their common enemy, that they went ahead in its pursuit operations without coordinating with the military and the police.Dolorfino said that when the MILF elements turned over a Delta Force member they arrested, they were not allowed to leave and were instead disarmed.Dolorfino said that when MILF commander Mercury heard about the arrest of the seven, he held hostage the soldiers in the detachment.Dolorfino said the Army troopers had just been transferred to the area from Basilan and have yet to be apprised of the situation and the mechanisms such as AHJAG.Dolorfino’s counterpart in the MILF, lawyer Abdul Dataya, told MindaNews, “solved na. Ceasefire mechanisms managed to solve it.” (Violeta M. Gloria/MindaNews)
Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 March 2007 14 48 05 )

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