ZAMBOANGA CITY – Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said that ground commanders have filed a protest against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the bloody encounter in Sumisip, Basilan on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
ARMED Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (center) leads a command conference at the Western Mindanao headquarters in Zamboanga City on Jan. 23. (Photo via Liza Jocson)
Brawner, in a press briefing at the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command Hospital here, said that all ground commanders assigned at the Western Mindanao Command area of responsibility have filed a protest letter before the MILF after finding out that some of its members were involved in the ambush that killed two soldiers and wounded 12 others.
Brawner said that fatalities and wounded were escorting the representative of the United Nations Development Programme bringing development projects to Barangay Upper Cabengbeng when they were ambushed.
Soldiers were traversing the road in Barangay Lower Cabengbeng when they were fired at by a small group of lawless elements. Soldiers returned fire but in the course of the firefight, they noticed that the lawless elements increased in number.
“We found out in social media and some photographs that were spread that some of the perpetrators who helped the group of lawless elements headed by Najal Buena and Oman Hajal Jalis were some members of the MILF,” Brawner said.
The ground commander wrote a protest letter through the Government Panel for Hostilities-Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities.
"Sinusundan po natin ‘yung peace mechanism and reported it to the President already," Brawner said.
(We are following the peace mechanism and reported the incident to the President)
Brawner said that they will pursue the lawless elements who committed the illegal and violent action against government troops.
"Sa mga members of the MILF may sinunod tayo na proseso, so we will also pursue them di puwede na pabayaan na lang natin."
(To the members of the MILF, we are following a process. We will pursue them. We cannot let this pass)
Brawner visited wounded soldiers confined in hospitals in here and Isabela City, Basilan. They received financial assistance from the military.