"Kato, Bravo may be suspended" MILF chief negotiator says

Two Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commanders wanted by the government may be stripped of their positions if found guilty of attacks on civilian villages in central Mindanao in August, the rebel group's chief peace negotiator said Friday.

Since August, senior members of the MILF's military wing have been investigating Ameril Ombra Kato, who heads the 105th Base Command, and 102nd base commander Abdullah Macapaar alias Bravo, of the 102nd, Mohagher Iqbal said.

Two investigation panels have been formed: one covering the areas of North Cotabato and Maguindanao, the other investigating Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

Iqbal, however, did not name the members of the investigating panels.

But at the moment, Kato and Macapaar "are still part of the organization of the MILF," Iqbal said.

He said the interview of Macapaar aired by television network ABS-CBN television network, in which the rebel commander supposedly admits having ordered the attacks in Lanao del Norte "may be taken into consideration, but it is not the heart of the issue."

Iqbal said the investigation was internal to the MILF to help the organization decide the appropriate “disciplinary action if somebody committed a crime."

If suspended, Kato and Macapaar will lose direct command over their unit and will be treated like ordinary members of the command for an undetermined period of time, said Iqbal.

In 2006, the MILF leadership suspended Kato for more than a year after finding him guilty of attacking government forces in Cotabato and therefore violating the ceasefire agreement which was being implemented then, Iqbal said.

He stressed their investigation has nothing to do with their intentions of reviving peace talks with the government.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres, Jr. said the MILF leadership should have initiated the investigation earlier but nevertheless welcomed the rebel group's move.

"As peace keeping and law enforcement agencies however, the actions of the MILF central leadership will not halt nor affect the operations of the AFP and the [Philippine National Police] to hunt down these lawless MILF groups," Torres said.

(By Katherine Evangelista; INQ.net)