Photo taken at the house where eight members of Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) and a civilian was killed at Barangay Kilada, Matalam town, Cotabato. (Photo courtesy of Kawagib Moro Human Rights)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The KAWAGIB Moro human rights group condemned the “massacre” of eight members of the 105th Base Command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) and one civilian by the Matalam Provincial Police and the 7th IB of the Philippine Army in an anti-drug operation in Matalam, North Cotabato.
The group identified the fatalities as Dadting M. Hassan, Muhamidin A. Hassan, Konne A. Hassan, Burrah S. Salping, Muhalidin S. Salping, Tiyo Mantik, Orom Mantis, Deng Malunok and a certain Abu.
In the documentation made by KAWAGIB on Tuesday, residents of Purok Biao, Barangay Kilada said the victims were not drug pushers or criminals.
They said that 70 police and army authorities first conducted the raid on May 25 and followed it up with another operation conducted the next day, composed of 11 police and army vehicles.
“They are emboldened to commit such act because of the Martial Law in Mindanao,” said Jun Naga, spokesperson of KAWAGIB.
KAWAGIB pointed out that the authorities committed procedural lapses during the drug operation such as the fact that they served the warrants of arrest during midnight.
The victims were shot at close range, the group lamented.
Residents of Sitio Biao, Brgy Kilada Matalam North Cotabato evacuated to a nearby government space. The evacuees were not given any relief assistance, Kawagib said.
Kawagib took note of an Agreement of Cooperation and Coordination between the Philippine government and the MILF in the Campaign against Illegal Drugs in MILF areas.
The agreement, signed on July 2016, provided the mechanics and procedures in the conduct of law enforcement operation against criminality in MILF-controlled areas.
Government units were mandated to coordinate with the MILF and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) as protocol for anti-drug operations.
Butch Malang, head of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities(CCCH) in a letter to Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel said that the BIAF members were disarmed and deliberately shot by the operatives resulting to instant death.
“No shabu was found during the raid,” Malang said.
“We would like to express our deepest sorrow and disappointment to those inhuman acts that were done to our MILF comrades despite (of) series of joint coordination, cooperation and collaboration meetings such as the meeting held at IMT HQ Friday, 25 May 2018 and stakeholders’ meeting held at IMT TS1 last 11 May which was also attended by PSupt Leo T. Ajero, Deputy (Police Director) of North Cotabato,” Malang said.
Malang called the incident a grave human rights abuse and a violation to the provisions of the implementing Operational Guidelines of the Government of the Philippines and the MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities.
For its part, the Suara Bangsamoro said the Matalam incident was not an isolated case of massacre and extra-judicial killings.
On December 8, 2017, three (3) members of the MILF were killed by the joint anti-drug operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Brgy. Koronadal Proper, Polomolok, South Cotabato.
On May 19, 2018, Mindatu Aminola, another MILF member from Brgy. Olonoling, Tupi, South Cotabato was also killed by state forces under the same pretext– anti-drug operation.
Jerome Succor Aba, national chairperson of Suara Bangsamoro said that while the Congress is discussing the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law , the military and the police are killing its primary stakeholders in the guise of anti-drug operations.
He sees the same pattern with the peace negotiations with communists, saying that while the government is talking peace, covert military operations resulting to grave human violations are occurring on the ground.
“We urge the Moro people and the MILF to demand justice for their fallen comrades. We also urge the Filipino people to demand justice for the human rights defenders, activists, and community leaders who were killed in pursuing a just and lasting peace in the country,” he added. (davaotoday.com)
