AFP gives ultimatum to MILF rebelsThe Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has given the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) one week to turn over those responsible for the brutal killings of 14 soldiers in Basilan.
AFP Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon said Wednesday if the MILF rebels failed to meet the ultimatum, they would take a military option but not necessarily an all-out war.
"We have options 1 to 10. An all-out offensive is the the last resort, but it is still an option," Esperon told reporters after meeting with top military commanders at Western Mindanao Command headquarters.
He said the Armed Forces are determined to punish those who have committed the barbaric and inhuman acts, which are no longer within the ambit of the peace process.
But one MILF leader said they will not surrender any of their freedom fighters and will defend themselves should the military attack their stronghold in Basilan.
Instead, MILF information committee chairman Khaled Musa urged the government to observe restraint in launching punitive military actions against the "beheaders."
"There is really need to distinguish who were responsible and who are innocent. Collective punishment is not a good option for the government, because so many innocent people would be affected or even killed or wounded," Musa stressed.
The MILF, which is negotiating peace with the Philippine government, claimed responsibility for the July 10 attack on marines in barangay Guinanta, Tipo-Tipo town but denied beheading them.
It blamed the soldiers for the beheading of a Muslim religious leader identified as Imam Alkanul during the June 10 encounter between MILF fighters and Philippine Marines in Al-Barka town.
Esperon strongly denied this accusation, saying that "as we have interviewed participants in the operations, there is no indication that the troops were aware of an Imam."
"Initial report is that there was an Imam who died on July 10, but as to how he died is a matter to be determined," the AFP chief said replying to a question about the probe on the beheading of an Imam.
He also said their investigation team is looking into involvement of private armies of some politicians in Basilan, who were reportedly supplied the Abu Sayyaf and MILF with mortars, weapons and ammos.
Meanwhile, Esperon revealed the successes of military operations against the Abu Sayyaf group and the New Peoples Army (NPA) in the first semester of this year.
He said they have reduced the strenght of ASG by 73 members from 425 and cleared several barangays that are under influence of communist terrorist movement at the start of the year.
At the same time, the AFP chief said that search and rescue operations for kidnapped Italian priest continue in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan. "There has been no let-up in the operations to recover safely Fr. Bossi," he said.
AFP Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon said Wednesday if the MILF rebels failed to meet the ultimatum, they would take a military option but not necessarily an all-out war.
"We have options 1 to 10. An all-out offensive is the the last resort, but it is still an option," Esperon told reporters after meeting with top military commanders at Western Mindanao Command headquarters.
He said the Armed Forces are determined to punish those who have committed the barbaric and inhuman acts, which are no longer within the ambit of the peace process.
But one MILF leader said they will not surrender any of their freedom fighters and will defend themselves should the military attack their stronghold in Basilan.
Instead, MILF information committee chairman Khaled Musa urged the government to observe restraint in launching punitive military actions against the "beheaders."
"There is really need to distinguish who were responsible and who are innocent. Collective punishment is not a good option for the government, because so many innocent people would be affected or even killed or wounded," Musa stressed.
The MILF, which is negotiating peace with the Philippine government, claimed responsibility for the July 10 attack on marines in barangay Guinanta, Tipo-Tipo town but denied beheading them.
It blamed the soldiers for the beheading of a Muslim religious leader identified as Imam Alkanul during the June 10 encounter between MILF fighters and Philippine Marines in Al-Barka town.
Esperon strongly denied this accusation, saying that "as we have interviewed participants in the operations, there is no indication that the troops were aware of an Imam."
"Initial report is that there was an Imam who died on July 10, but as to how he died is a matter to be determined," the AFP chief said replying to a question about the probe on the beheading of an Imam.
He also said their investigation team is looking into involvement of private armies of some politicians in Basilan, who were reportedly supplied the Abu Sayyaf and MILF with mortars, weapons and ammos.
Meanwhile, Esperon revealed the successes of military operations against the Abu Sayyaf group and the New Peoples Army (NPA) in the first semester of this year.
He said they have reduced the strenght of ASG by 73 members from 425 and cleared several barangays that are under influence of communist terrorist movement at the start of the year.
At the same time, the AFP chief said that search and rescue operations for kidnapped Italian priest continue in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan. "There has been no let-up in the operations to recover safely Fr. Bossi," he said.
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