MANILA, Philippines The so-called rogue elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who staged attacks in Mindanao on Monday are part of a chess game to pressure the government to agree to a deal on ancestral domain, a ranking military official said Tuesday.
Armed Forces vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna said the supposed rogue commanders are "pawns" in a "chess game" in the MILF's pressure game.
"Kumbaga sa larong chess ito ang pawn ng leadership ng MILF. Deny nila na sanction o pinapayagan nila, samantala tingin ko sa ground, ito ang dirty tricks department nila (If this were a game of chess, these rogue commanders are a pawn of the MILF leadership. The leadership can wash its hands off them, but this is actually their dirty tricks department)," Luna said in an interview on dzBB radio.
MILF forces on Monday attacked several provinces in Mindanao, leaving behind more than 20 dead in their wake.
Luna noted that the incident occurred after the Supreme Court stopped the signing of a memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain between the government and the MILF.
"Ginagamit nila ang rogue element para siguro i-pressure ang gobyerno na pumayag sa MOA-AD (I am inclined to believe the rogue elements are being used to pressure the government to agree to the MOA-AD)," he said. - GMANews.TV