With all the back slapping lately between the MILF and the MNLF it is easy for some to forget that the MILF was in fact born out of disgust with the MNLF. MILF founder, the late Hashim Salamat, saw MNLF figurehead Nur Misuari as aloof and close to dictatorial in his leadership style. In addition, Misuari was then a closet Marxist who only saw Islam as a useful vehicle with which to motivate the masses. Finally, despite the myth of the "Bangsamoro," a supposedly cohesive people, the thirteen ethno-linguistic groupings of Muslim Filipinos had practically nothing in common above and beyond a professed common faith. The MNLF, which had begun life as a Maranaw (Maranao)-dominated organization, quickly became Tausug-centric under Misuari's stewardship. Salamat, a Maguondanowan, saw no future for his tribe within Misuari's MNLF.
The MILF began life as a putsch against Misuari and his minions but by 1984 was undeniably a wholly seperate group, in form as well as substance. Since then, both groups have often been at odds. Although great strides have been made within the last year, these are entirely within the political echelons. On the ground, the military wings-BIAF for the MILF, and BMA, or Bangsamoro Army for the MNLF-are almost always at each others' throats. This latest incident, in North Cotabato Province, is just one of several currently taking place.
Just before daybreak, Sunday, June 24th, 2012, in the municipality of Carmen's Barangay Tonganon, the two organizations once again took it to the mat. MNLF Kumander Teo Minanimbong attacked Kumander "DTR" Mohammed of the BIAF 110 Base Command. The BIAF of course is the military wing of the MILF, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.
Roughly one thousand individuals from that barangay and the nearby barangays of Lapu Lapu and Lawili in the adjacent municipality of Aleosan were forced into fleeing their homes and livlihoods. Most of those "bakwit," or IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) have taken refuge in Aleosan's Barangay New Panay. As one might surmise by the names of concerned barangays, most of the refugees are Ilonggo, while the warring parties are Muslims. Lately that portion of the North Cotabato and Maguindanao Provincial borders has been beset by a very worrisome trend of ethno-religious warfare, though thankfully-if one can even be thankful in such circumstances- this particular incident is Muslim on Muslim, albeit over competition to rob Ilonggo land.
The 7IB (Infantry Battalion), based in Carmen, and the 40IB, based in Aleosan, have been doing nothing as usual. The AFP takes great pains not to engage any Islamic group in Central and Southern Mindanao, citing the fictitious ceasefire and the almost as fictitious Peace Process. Indeed, at a recent bilateral meeting that I will cover in an upcoming "GPH-MILF Peace Process for the Second Quarter" entry, much self congratulation was given over the meaningless statistic that has the AFP and MILF/BIAF with zero armed contacts since 2012 began. As the BIAF runs around tossing frag grenades and firing RPG-2s and 3s at hapless civilians-and other armed groups, lets hoodwink the public into thinking that the MILF/BIAF is serious about peace.
This paticular sub-conflict concerns nearly 50 contigious hectares of rice paddy and corn fields in Barangay Tonganon's Sitio Maputi. On March 25th, 2012, BIAF 110 Base Command sub-Kumander Karim Sagadan attacked MNLF Kumander Teo Minanimbong in that sitio. The MNLF quickly gained the upperhand and so BIAF sub-Kumander Sagadan sent for reinforcements. Kumander "Tarzan" Dagadas, the overall Kumander of the BIAF's newest Base Comand, the 118, responded in force.
As the sitio quickly emptied of civilians the fighting grew hot and heavy with twenty plus homes burned entirely and more than twenty four guerillas from both sides losing their lives before the 7IB was able to reign in the fighting with an effective cordon. When the fighting simmered down virtually all of Sitio Maputi and most of the adjacent Sitio Gawasan were in shambles and it took a week before residents felt confident enough to vacate the IDP centre on Aleosan's Barangay New Panay.
Then, on May 16th, a chance encounter between small groups from both sides led to a small and ineffectual firefight with no casualties in Barangay Tonganon. The next day, May 17th, larger groups engaged in a one hour firefight before the MILF Central Committee deployed a high ranking delegation to try and convince the 110 Base Command to stand down. The 118 Base Command did not interevene in this round of fighting owing to an untimely IED, or Improvised Explosive Device detonation on a pumpboat carrying Kumander Dagadas.
Dagadas was on a craft with four of his guerillas, the boat operator and none other than...Datu Anwar "Ipi" Ampatuan Jr., grandson of infamous local warlord Andal Ampatuan Sr. Grandpa is currently stewing with other clan members in Camp Bagong Diwa. In fact, young Datu Ipi was supposed to be sitting in a cell in that same facility along with the major players in the clan-and all the people they dragged down with them-to stand trial for the Maguindanao Massacre.
The fact that Ipi, or any member of the Ampatuan Clan was taking refuge with the BIAF is incredibly interesting. Andal Ampatuan Sr. gained most of his power by serving the Government as its proxy in its thirty year conflict with the MILF. The MILF has tried to assasinate Andal Sr. several times and succeded in killing his heir apparent. After the Massacre much of the Ampatuan paramilitary withdrew into the bush and initially continued doing battle with the MILF/BIAF.
The IED detonation that wounded Kumander Dagadas took place on March 26th, just a day after the initial battle in Barangay Tonganon, against the MNLF. It doesnt take a whole lot of expertise to connect the dots. Aside from Dagadas, all four of his guerillas and Datu Ipi were also wounded, Ipi being the most serious among them. The boat operator, a civilian, was killed.
The boat was approaching the shore of MILF controlled Barangay Daladap in the municipality of Mamasapano. While still off of Barangay Nabundas in the municipality of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, like Mamasapano, in Maguindanao Province, when the pumpboat ran aground. The IED had not been stowed properly and more to the point-amazingly-had already been primed. The jarring of the craft caused the device to detonate. Datu Ipi was sitting in the bow, the device not far behind him, at the foot of the boat operator. As a result, Ipi caught a gaping wound near his spine.
Datu Ipi was rushed to Notre Dame Hospital in Cotabato City where the AFP's MBLT-7 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #7) immediately put him under guard vis a vis his fugitive status. His clan's attorneys later tried to sell some fantasy about how the BIAF was escorting Ipi to a pre-arranged surrender. Suuuuuuuuure, without an attorney. What actually happened was, immediately after being wounded, Ipi had his mother contacted. Mom, a local politician, contacted Colonel Mayoralgo de la Cruz, Commanding Officer of the 1st Mechanized Brigade and offered the unconditional surrender of Ipi as long de la Cruz rushed Ipi to Cotabato City, site of Central Mindanao's best healthcare. Such a surrender earns Colonel de la Cruz accolades from his superiors as well as banking a large future favor with Mayor Ampatuan, Ipi's mother.
The 27 year old scion is the son of Andal Sr.'s son Anwar Ampatuan Sr., who was Mayor of Shariff Aguak, formerly the provincial capital of Maguindanao Province (the capital having been moved in spite by clan enemy and current Governor, Esnael "Toto" Mangudadatu, target of the Maguindanao Massacre). Anwar Sr. was himself arrested and is one of the clan members currently in stir. Replacing him as Mayor, was his wife-Ipi's mother-Bai Zahara Upam Ampatuan. Then, in the same 2010 Election that brought Bai Zahara to power as Mayor (and the same election that was behind the Massacre), Anwar Sr., despite being jailed, was elected Vice Mayor. Ipi, then a fugitive, was elected Municipal Councilor along with two sisters, Rowella and Anhara.
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