Thousands of villagers of Al-Barka town in Basilan have been forced to abandon their homes as hundreds of military-backed policemen started Tuesday serving arrest warrants against 130 Moro rebels accused of beheading 10 marines in the island province.
Sources from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) said as many as 1,000 families or 5,321 persons have been evacuated from six villages of Al-Barka to safer grounds.
Many residents - mainly women, children and the elderly - have sought refuge to their families in Lamitan City, Tipo-Tipo Municipality, and evacuation centers established at schools and government buildings in nearby towns of Basilan.
Reports said some 300 policemen left Isabela City Tuesday to Al-Barka town to serve the arrest warrants against Basilan-based MILF commander Hamsa Sapantun and subcommanders Not Muddalan, Suhud Limaya, Sulaiman Murata, Hadji Dan Asnwai and Long Hadji Mas-ud and 107 followers.
Sapantun allegedly led a group of MILF rebels who attacked a team of the 1st Marine Brigade, triggering an almost 10-hour gun battle last July 10, where 14 members of the Philippine Marines were killed.
The military said the MILF leaders were also aided by Abu Sayyaf members led by Commanders Furuji Indama and Nurshasan Kallilut Jamiri.
But the three-man fact-finding team organized by the MILF central committee found the said rebel leaders innocent for the beheading, saying the team investigated practically all those units and elements of the MILF 114 Base Command and the result was negative.
"No one took part in the mutilation of the Marines...it is strictly against Islam, code of conduct of the MILF military, and rule of civilized society," the MILF probe body said in its report posted at Luwaran.com website.
The three-day timeline for the investigating team of the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hosilities (JCCCH) of GRP-MILF to come up with findings and recommendations given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lapsed Monday.
The MILF, however, asked for extension of JCCCH's investigation, saying that the probe of the case was unfinished.
National Security Adviser and acting Defense Chief Norberto Gonzales said Tuesday the government is opened for the extension of the investigation.
Sources from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) said as many as 1,000 families or 5,321 persons have been evacuated from six villages of Al-Barka to safer grounds.
Many residents - mainly women, children and the elderly - have sought refuge to their families in Lamitan City, Tipo-Tipo Municipality, and evacuation centers established at schools and government buildings in nearby towns of Basilan.
Reports said some 300 policemen left Isabela City Tuesday to Al-Barka town to serve the arrest warrants against Basilan-based MILF commander Hamsa Sapantun and subcommanders Not Muddalan, Suhud Limaya, Sulaiman Murata, Hadji Dan Asnwai and Long Hadji Mas-ud and 107 followers.
Sapantun allegedly led a group of MILF rebels who attacked a team of the 1st Marine Brigade, triggering an almost 10-hour gun battle last July 10, where 14 members of the Philippine Marines were killed.
The military said the MILF leaders were also aided by Abu Sayyaf members led by Commanders Furuji Indama and Nurshasan Kallilut Jamiri.
But the three-man fact-finding team organized by the MILF central committee found the said rebel leaders innocent for the beheading, saying the team investigated practically all those units and elements of the MILF 114 Base Command and the result was negative.
"No one took part in the mutilation of the Marines...it is strictly against Islam, code of conduct of the MILF military, and rule of civilized society," the MILF probe body said in its report posted at Luwaran.com website.
The three-day timeline for the investigating team of the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hosilities (JCCCH) of GRP-MILF to come up with findings and recommendations given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lapsed Monday.
The MILF, however, asked for extension of JCCCH's investigation, saying that the probe of the case was unfinished.
National Security Adviser and acting Defense Chief Norberto Gonzales said Tuesday the government is opened for the extension of the investigation.
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