MILF given 24 hours to leave areas ‘forcibly’ taken in ARMM

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has “24 hours” to leave towns it has “forcibly” occupied in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) or face police and military action, authorities warned.

"We are giving individuals 24 hours to vacate otherwise they will forcibly be separated from the area," said Puno in a press conference in at the national police headquarters in Camp Crame Thursday.

Puno added that the military and police would be “authorized to undertake action” if the deadline would not be met.

Puno said some 800 members of the MILF had reportedly “forcibly” occupied several ARMM towns, including Aliosan in North Cotabato.

“It behooves on the MILF to do something to act on the situation because this is a litmus test on its good faith,” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said, adding, “We cannot wait longer than a reasonable 24-hour period.

Teodoro said Military Chief General Alexander Yano was in Cotabato province to brief commanders on the government’s action.

“We are announcing these operations to stabilize the situation and put back the rightful owners of those lands,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said.

Esperon said the government action was “not a declaration of war,” and would unlikely affect the peace process.

“This is not a declaration of war, this is a normal enforcement of the rule of law,” Esperon said. (By Thea Alberto, Joel Guinto; INQ.net)