MILF Pulls Back?

The MILF has aparently abandoned some areas and now is offering to "pull out" others. Is this a sign of success or a tactic? Only time will tell.

Military welcomes MILF pull-out offer

As far as the military is concerned, there are no recognized camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Basilan.

But the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) nonetheless welcomes the MILF's offer to pull out of the province to enable the military to go after Abu Sayyaf extremists.

"It's up to them. But ever since, we do not recognize any MILF camp in Basilan," Marine Brigadier General Juancho Sabban, deputy commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), told reporters in a phone interview on Monday.

He said the MILF claimed to have a battalion, or some 500 men, in Basilan.

Sabban also heads Task Force Thunder, the military's offensive against the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in retaliation for the killing of 14 Marine soldiers, 10 of whom were beheaded, in Basilan last July.

Sabban said the MILF's offer would "definitely help" the military offensive.

He said the MILF rebels could temporarily stay in Barangay (village) Ginanta in Al-Barka to avoid the military operations against the Abu Sayyaf.

MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu said over the weekend that their group would abandon strongholds in Basilan and Sulu to give way to a "big military offensive" against the Abu Sayyaf bandits and avoid "misencounters" with government troops.

The offer was also seen as a gesture of goodwill on the part of the MILF ahead of the resumption of the stalled peace talks between the rebel secessionist group and the government.