The government security forces have shifted from pursuit to punitive actions to neutralize the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who attacked the Basilan provincial jail as well as to recapture the 31 inmates that were sprang out of the detention facility, a top military official disclosed Monday.
Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mohammad Dolorfino said they are focusing on two areas where the escapees as well as the attackers have fled after the attack at the Basilan provincial jail.
A group of MILF rebels have attacked last Sunday the Basilan provincial jail and sprang out 31 inmates--12 Abu Sayyaf bandits, five MILF rebels and 14 common criminals--from the detention facility in barangay Sumagdang, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.
Two of the five MILF rebels identified as Asnawi Laksaw alias Dan Laksaw, and Kamsa Limaya, were among the suspects in the July 10, 2007 ambush and beheading of marine troops in Al-Barka, Basilan, Dolorfino said.
Dolorfino disclosed that of the 31 escapees, 21 including Laksaw and Limaya fled to the town of Al-Barka while the 10 others fled to Sumisip municipality.
“We have shifted from pursuit to punitive (actions), so right now we are conducting combat operations focused in two areas,†Dolorfino disclosed.
He said the combat operations is coupled with law enforcement actions “in order to reverse the resurgence of terrorism and kidnapping in Basilan.â€
He said that a battalion of marine troops from this province was sent to Basilan as augmentation forces in the conduct of the combat operations.
A marine company was pulled out from the province of Tawi-Tawi to replace the troops that were sent to Basilan from this province, he said.
Dolorfino said they have filed Monday a complaint for violation of the ceasefire agreement against the MILF before the government peace panel's Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), citing last Sunday's incident was a deliberate attack by the Basilan-based MILF rebels.
The complaint would be forwarded by the government's CCCH to the joint CCCH which comprises of the representatives from the government and MILF peace panels for proper action.
Dolorfino said they have also demanded the MILF to hand over to the government the 10 MILF members to include Laksaw and Limaya to answer the criminal liabilities for their involvement in last Sunday's attack at the Basilan provincial jail.
He said the anti-terrorism council is offering P2 million reward for the recapture of Laksaw and P100,000 for the recapture of each of the common criminals. - PNA
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