Padilla’s resolution: “(T)he relatives of the deceased denied involvement in any criminal activities of the deceased and alleged, contrary to Capt. Sali’s statement, the operation was a rubout”.
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(SDN) — The death of seven legitimate Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members in Barangay Damawato, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur, has gotten the attention of the Senate.
Sen. Robinhood “Abdul Aziz” Padilla has filed Senate P.S. Resolution No. 664 ordering “the appropriate Senate Committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the alleged violation of the peace agreement” signed by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Padilla’s target for inquiry is the Philippine National Police (PNP)-military operation on a Sunday, June 18, in an MILF community in Barangay Damawato resulting in the killing of seven MILF members.
Killed in the ill-fated operation were Nasser Yousef M. Husain, 34; Norjihad M. Husain, 29; Nasrullah Mamay Singkala, 38; Ivan Pumpugay, 18; Izrael Laguiab, 41; Morsid Madidis, 50; and Mama Karim, 50.
The regional commander of the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR) Brigadier General Allan Nobleza said the operation was to serve search warrants on the brothers Husain for past alleged criminal activities but were purportedly met by gunfire.
Related: MILF Central Committee Calls on President Marcos ‘to Give Paramount Importance to Justice, Peace & Security’
On June 20 the MILF highest policy making body, the Central Committee (CC), issued Resolution No. 001, Series of 2023,
”𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐠𝐲. 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐨, 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐮 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬, 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐫, o𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑”.
It was signed by MILF CC Acting Secretary Von Al-Haq and attested by MILF CC Chair Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim. The Central Committee asked the national government “to take immediate action on the tragic loss of lives of members of the (MILF)”.
The incident has led Members of Parliament (MPs) Bailing S. Mantawil and lawyer May Ann Arnado to call for the return of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) led by GPH-MILF peace process third-party facilitator Malaysia.
The IMT played key and major role in paving the way for the signing on March 27, 2014, of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
Padilla’s resolution noted that the government and the MILF also “signed an agreement creating the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and Ad Hoc Joint Group (AHJAG) the purpose of which, among others, is to end armed hostilities between government troops and MILF forces”.
The Senate resolution also noted what Datu Paglas Police Captain Nurjhasier Sali described as a legitimate police operation the raid that turned “ugly when the gunmen started firing at law enforcers”.
But the Senate resolution further noted that “the relatives of the deceased denied involvement in any criminal activities of the deceased and alleged, contrary to Capt. Sali’s statement, the operation was a rubout”.
In a related development, the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) on June 20 voiced “concern and grief over” what it dubbed “the tragic loss” of the seven members of the MILF.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and loved ones who are enduring immense pain and loss due to this unfortunate incident,” the BHRC said in a statement.
Further, the BHRC of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) underscored the “utmost importance of conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.”
“We are committed to uncovering the truth, ensuring justice is served, and holding accountable those found responsible for any violations of human rights or unlawful actions,” it added.
It was not clear whether Padilla’s Senate resolution would result in an inquiry on the Datu Paglas incident. — EDD K. USMAN (✓)