We didn’t use landmines in North Cotabato, MILF says

August 17, 2008 

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) vehemently denied accusation by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that it planted landmines in some villages in North Cotabato where series of fierce fighting took place starting July 1, this year.

Sammy Al-Mansoor, chief of staff of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), told Luwaran in an exclusive interview yesterday that the BIAF is following, aside from its Military Code of Conduct, which is laden with rules of engagement in Islam, the Geneva Conventions especially Protocol I and II..

He also disclosed that the MILF had signed a “Deed of Commitment” with the Geneva Call (GC), in tandem with the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL), on the ban of victim’s initiated anti-personnel landmines.

 

The GC is an international non-government organization, which engages non-state actors, like the MILF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), on the non-proliferation of anti-personnel landmines.

 

Al Mansoor took exception to allegation by AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna, who was quoted as saying: “We really have this problem on landmines that wounded even one of our soldiers. That is why we are not allowing civilians to go back yet to their barangays. It is very dangerous. The MILF rebels have planted the villages with landmines.”

 

He said the MILF rebels reportedly used anti-personnel landmines that can be activated by use of pressure, tripwire or remote detonation.

 

“Unless we have cleared the affected areas of landmines will we allow the evacuees to get back to