GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 09 February) – The “detention” of a platoon of soldiers under the Philippine Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lanao del Sur was a “simple case of miscommunication,” the government’s Peace Implementing Panel (PIP) said Thursday.
At least 39 Army Special Forces detained by MILF forces in Maguing town for at least 25 hours were freed late Wednesday afternoon.
“The situation involving a platoon of the Army’s Special Forces in Maguing, Lanao del Sur has been resolved by the parties following the intervention of the joint peace mechanisms, specifically the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities in the area on Wednesday, February 8,” the PIP said in a statement.
The panel said the incident was brought by “a simple case of miscommunication.”
According to the PIP, the soldiers under the 4th Infantry Division passed through the area of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the armed wing of the MILF, during an operation against the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
“To ensure the safety of the (government) troops, the MILF-BIAF provided the troopers a safe space to spend the night on February 7 and to effect the established procedures with the joint ceasefire mechanisms,” it said.
The members of the Army platoon safely returned to their home base after the situation was peacefully settled.
Col. Michele Anayron Jr., commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, earlier said the soldiers had just raided a nearby camp of the NPA’s Sub-regional Committee 5 and were going home when they strayed close to the perimeter of the MILF camp.
Maguing shares borders with the municipalities of Talakag and Kalilangan of Bukidnon, which has a strong NPA presence.
“The soldiers are also safe and have gone back to their headquarters. We used the peace mechanisms to effect their release,” Anayron explained
This is another testament of the parties’ high regard to the peace process and their tolerance that prevented possible untoward incident to happen despite the problem in communication due to poor signal in the area, the PIP statement said.
The deep understanding of the peace process and ceasefire guidelines was instrumental for its swift resolution, it added.
The MILF has yet to issue a statement on the matter. (MindaNews)
