Half a million people displaced in South

MANILA, Philippines - More than half a million Filipinos have been affected by the ongoing conflict in Mindanao, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said. NDCC data released Wednesday showed that as of Sept. 23, a total of 528,693 persons or 110,517 families in various parts of the island have been displaced due to the fighting between the military and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The internally displaced persons (IDPs) came from 354 villages, 40 municipalities and two cities in nine provinces in Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Evacuation centers, however, had decreased to 103 from 123. "IDPs in 103 evacuation centers decreased from 13,985 families or 69,168 persons to 13,209 families or 65,363 persons," NDCC said in the report distributed to the media by Executive Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita. "The number of IDPs outside evacuation centers is lower by one family at 51,257 families or 65,363 persons," it added. NDCC said the total assistance provided by the government, nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations has reached P91 million. Mr. Ermita said the government still has enough resources to assist the victims of conflict and does not need to ask help from international donors. Last month, the government started its pursuit operations against rogue MILF elements who attacked some towns in Mindanao and killed more than 60 civilians, including children and the elderly. The hard-line rebels committed the atrocities after the government dropped a much-criticized territorial agreement that would have provided Muslims greater political and economic powers. The land pact has been questioned by various sectors due to its alleged constitutional flaws. The rogue MILF commanders were identified as Ameril Umbra Kato, Abdullah Macapaar alias Kumander Bravo and Sulaiman Pangalian. By tagging the three commanders and other nine members as terrorists; the rogue MILF commanders would entail harsher penalties under the Human Security Act of 2007. Tougher guerilla warfare Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander B. Yano admitted that the military is having a difficult time going after the MILF hard-liners due to the latter’s guerilla tactics. "I would say that guerilla operations would be more difficult, and what is also complicating is some of them are blending and using civilians as shields. This will also put our civilian communities in harm’s way. We are trying our best to minimize collateral damage," he said in a chance interview Wednesday. Mr. Yano explained that the MILF renegades had broken up into small formations. "It might not require some heavy firepower but if there are situations when they form bigger groups and poised to attack, our troops will be at risk — definitely. We then have to resort to such actions like use of heavy firepower," he said. Mr. Yano, however, assured that the military can adjust to the guerilla tactic. But for Mr. Ermita, a retired general, the MILF’s guerilla warfare is an indication that the military had neutralized the capacity of the rebels to launch huge attacks. Child warriors As this developed, the government confirmed that the MILF, Abu Sayyaf and communist rebels had been employing child warriors, in violation of universally accepted child’s rights. In a memorandum to Mr. Ermita, retired Capt. Salvador N. Cuba said the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front had at least 301 young members from 1999 to May 2008. Mr. Cuba said the members’ ages ranged from 15 to 18 years. He added that 108 of these were arrested, 182 surrendered and 11 were killed in various encounters in different parts of the country. Mr. Ermita said the data were obtained from intelligence units and from captured communist rebels themselves. Mr. Cuba said minors were also involved in the armed operations of MILF but admitted that no data is immediately available to prove except the TV documentary they have shown recently. As regards the Abu Sayyaf, Mr. Cuba said they have documents and testimonies that will prove that the terrorist group is employing minors. Mr. Ermita said the government will inform the international community that it is not tolerating the use of minors in battle. Aggravate hostilities The MILF said the government’s move to ask the international community to tag rebel commanders responsible for last month’s assaults on civilian communities as "terrorists" could aggravate hostilities in some parts of Mindanao. MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal described the act as a sign that the government is "abandoning" the 11-year southern peace process. "It will not do good, instead it will weaken [the peace process]," he told BusinessWorld. "First the government has abandoned the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, the dissolution of its peace panel, and now they are tagging our commanders as terrorists." As of press time, military troops are still running against the three MILF commanders. The Moro rebels said government troops have destroyed at least six mosques in Maguindanao province during its "relentless and indiscriminate" air and artillery strikes. "There is a clear and present ethnic cleansing and state terrorism by the Philippine government against the MILF and the Bangsamoro people," the Moro rebels said in a statement. But "religious places and structures are not subject for operation," military spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto C. Torres, Jr. said. Moro rebels said there is speculation that the fighting will worsen when Ramadan ends early next week. "All over Maguindanao, the Lanao provinces and Sarangani, people are suspecting the government would launch massive police-military offensive against the MILF and Bangsamoro people on Eid’l Fitr, the feast that marks the end of the month-long fasting during Ramadan," the rebels’ statement said. — Alexis Douglas B. Romero and Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld