President Arroyo condemned Monday as a violation of the peace process the recent spate of attacks perpetrated by Moro rebels in Lanao del Norte and Saranggani provinces.
In a televised statement, Mrs. Arroyo said the attacks by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerillas in several towns in Lanao del Norte early Monday were a challenge to the government's bid to maintain peace and order in the south.
"Because of these sneaky and treacherous attacks, as your commander-in-chief, I have ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police to defend every inch of Philippine territory against MILF forces and immediately restore peace in the affected areas in Lanao del Norte," she said.
"We will not tolerate and we will crush any attempt to disturb peace and development in Mindanao."
Mrs. Arroyo said she has called for an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to assess the situation in Lanao del Norte and other areas under MILF attack and "come up with concrete, decisive action."
At least 16 people were found dead Monday, many with their bodies hacked by machetes, after Moro rebels launched a wave of attacks in at least two towns in Lanao del Norte.
Nine bodies were lying bloodied by a roadside in the village of Lapayan in Kauswagan town as black smoke billowed from houses burning in the background, residents said. Five other civilians were killed in another village by the marauding MILF.
Footage taken by ABS-CBN correspondent Ronnie Enderes showed residents fleeing their burning homes in Lapayan. "We saw several dead bodies. Residents said they saw people being shot by armed men. We also saw body parts, even human skin. It's a bloody situation. Residents said it was the MILF," he said.
Over 200 MILf rebels entered Kolambugan town in southern Lanao del Norte province before dawn, engaging troops and local police in intense gunbattles, said town mayor Beltran Lumagi.
"They are now in the poblacion area (town centre), they have taken over the business center, the rural banks, pawnshops," Lumagi said in a radio interview.
He said police and army forces were trying to hold the rebels at bay and fighting had been intense.
Officials said the rebels set fire to the Kolambugan public market and a passenger bus.
Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez said MILF rebels attacked Maasim town in Sarangani early Monday and ransacked a pawnshop and other businesses in the area. He said the rebels also shot two civilians after failing to ransack the local police station.
"This is the work of terrorists, of bandits," he told radio dzMM.
He added that the rebels fled to a mountainous area near Maasim, with police and military troops in hot pursuit.
'Virtual declaration of war'
Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Alexander Yano said the attacks and the declaration of jihad by at least one MILF sub-commander were a "virtual declaration of war" by the Moro separatist group.
In a statement, Yano condemned the MILF for using the peace process as a “blanket” to perpetrate attacks in southern Philippines.
“It appears that several MILF sub-commanders are not controlled by the MILF leadership but just using the peace process as the blanket to launch violent attacks against the people of Mindanao,” he said.
He cited Sunday’s MILF ambush on the Army troops in Lanao del Sur that left four soldiers and three militiamen dead. Twelve others were injured in the attack.
“The recent MILF-perpetuated incidents in Mindanao starting with the ambush of Army troops of the 5th Infantry Battalion by the MILF troops in Lanao del Sur yesterday is virtual declaration of war,” Yano said.
He said Commander Bravo’s group is believed to be perpetrating the attacks in Lanao del Sur.
“These developments are clear manifestation of insincerity to the peace process of the significant portion of the MILF,” he said.
He added: “We have launched military operations in Mindanao and this will go on until perpetrators are punished and normalcy is established in the area.”
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro condemned the attacks, which he said violated an agreement between the government and MILF to rein in the rebels after the recent fighting in North Cotabato.
Teodoro said the government will apply the full force of the law against the recalcitrants and said the military will treat the attacking rebels as criminals.
"They are taking hostages and ransacking businesses. These are plain criminal actions and has no justification," he said.
He also blamed the MILF leadership for failing to rein their commanders, which he said was hindering government peace overtures. "The MILF organization is quite loose in terms of control but the full force of the law must be applied at all times," he said.
Not sanctioned by MILF
The MILF leadership, however, said it has not sanctioned attacks conducted by its forces in Lanao del Norte and Sarangani province on Monday.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the MILF leadership is verifying the situation in the field after rebel forces led by the MILF's Commander Bravo attacked Kauswagan and Kolambugan towns.
"This is not sanctioned. There is no such order from MILF leadership to launch an attack on government forces," Kabalu told radio dzMM.
Kabalu said the MILF leadership had been unable to contact Bravo after receiving news of tha takeover of the highway at 4 a.m.
He also downplayed suggestions that the MILF was losing control of its men after the latest attack and last week's fighting in North Cotabato. He added that the MILF leadership remains committed to reaching a peace deal with the government.
The MILF has been waging a separatist rebellion since 1978, but it signed a ceasefire agreement with Manila in 2003, paving the way for peace talks.
The Supreme Court two weeks ago however aborted a deal between the government and the MILF that would have given the rebels control over vast areas of lands in the south.
The MILF shortly after that attacked government positions and took over more than 20 villages in another southern province, triggering heavy gunbattles. They were eventually chased out, but the retreating rebels looted and burned many houses. With Agence France-Presse