MANILA, Philippines - The first of three battalions of police personnel arrived in North Cotabato Thursday afternoon for possible "clearing" operations against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a radio report said.
Radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr reported that two more battalions of police personnel are being prepared to be deployed to the province.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr said the police personnel will be from the police regional offices in Regions 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 10 (Northern Mindanao), 11 (Davao), 12 (Socsargen), and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
He said the police battalions will start clearing operations at 10 a.m. Friday, the end of the 24-hour ultimatum given by Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno.
Earlier, Puno said the government is giving some 800 MILF members who had occupied areas in North Cotabato 24 hours to vacate the area.
In a press conference at Camp Crame, Puno said there are a number of municipalities in Mindanao particularly in North Cotabato that in the recent past, couple of days, have been forcibly occupied allegedly by elements of the MILF.
Puno said these include the town of Aleosan, the villages of Bagulibas with a population of 1,048, Dualing (2,611) and Pagangan (2,806). In the municipality of Linungan , the villages of Kapangi with 2,71 residents; Gumaga with 4,132.
In the town of Midsayap: Central Labas village with 1,267; Upper Labas with 1,564; Rangaban with 1,877; and Baliki with 1,464. - GMANews.TV
source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20080807/tph-1st-of-3-battalions-of-cops-arrives-ce44f36.html
2 comments:
I believe that the MILF should seriously be kept away from the civilians as much as possible until the peace is concluded. The MILF can become a threat to the people, especially if they abuse the people since they are armed.
We really should find a way to come at peace and make a truce or compromise with the MILF, it's starting to get out of hand and someone needs to start taking charge of this much more seriously.
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