The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) would have been nothing but history after the fall of Buliok Complex in 2003, according to North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol.
But the Philippine Government allowed the MILF to regroup and rebuild its forces, by allowing their return to their biggest base in Western Mindanao, said Pinol. former governor who now chairs the North Cotabato Provincial Board.
The government waged an all-out war against the MILF in 2003, and captured the secessionist group’s main camp Buliok Complex in Luguasan Marsh, part of which is located in Pinol’s province, after nearly a month of fighting.
Pinol said the government’s peace efforts, after the fall of Buliok, allowed the MILF to rebuild its forces. After it had been reduced to an insignificant force in the 2003 all-out war, the government also committed a big error in turning over captured Buliok Complex to the MILF as part of confidence-building efforts and the peace talks, he said.
Pinol said that while he is not against peace negotiations with MILF, the government should have used its strength as a tactical advantage. “My position is that in every negotiation, one must show his superiority in terms of strength,” he said.
Sadly, Pinol said, instead of taking advantage of the fall of Buliok Complex, the government allowed MILF fighters to return to the MILF base, the biggest in Mindanao.
With Buliok in MILF hands again, the secessionist was able to regroup and rebuild its forces, said the vice governor.
I thought back in 2003 after the fall of Buliok that never again will I hear guns firing to kill Filipinos. But it did not happen that way. The MILF rebels agains are wrecking havoc in our province, said Pinol.
Filed under: Mindanao, Mindanao Muslims, moro islamic liberation front, pinol | Tagged: buliok complex, gov manny pinol, kidapawan city, liguasan marsh, milf peace talks, moro islamic liberation front, north cotabato
I agree with this statement. The lives of soldiers who died while battling to against MILF have become useless since the government have not maintained the captured MILF camps during last battle. It will take more lives to reclaim these camps again. Goverment Officials are to blame on these. They should not let the rebels build forces once they have been defeated once.
I used to live in Marawi City for more than 10 years.
I observed that very few private citizens hoist the philippine flag during
the philippine independence day. Why is that?
We always say “Our Brother Muslims”. How many of our brother muslims
can say “Our Brother Christians”.