PNP to file charges against MILF commander in Basilan after clearing operations

Miami
August 12, 2008
Story: PNP to file charges against MILF commander in Basilan after clearing operations

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said they will file charges against Ameril Umbra Kato, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Commander in Basilan.

Kato, according to the police were involved in terrorist activities such as burning of houses, rustling of cattle, looting, burning of farm lands and harassment of residents in the towns of Aleosan and Midsayap.

The filing of charges will happen after the clearing operations, “We also have to clear the barangays that have been affected, after all of these, the PNP may now concentrate on the other law enforcement tasks which is to investigate what really transpired, to get some statements, to get evidences,” PNP Spokesman Chief Supt Nicanor Bartolome said.

Bartolome added that aside from augmentation from Mindanao regions, they added another augmentation from Police Regional Office 6, 7, and 8 or about 360 policemen to the nearby municipalities in North Cotabato to help in preventing further incursions and deny access to renegade forces led by Kato. They were deployed last August 11.

The PNP added troops in the area because the MILF who will reposition themselves or leave the area they forcibly occupied are crisscrossing on other municipalities.

“The MILF usually crisscross boundaries in North Cotabato and there are municipalities now that are also considering that they may be included in the collateral damage later on and we also note that in the process of transferring from one occupied barangay to another in another municipalities in particular they may use other routes and in the process other barangays of other municipalities may get involved,” Bartolome added.

After the clearing operations the PNP will have to stay at the areas to assure security at North Cotabato and nearby areas.