5 soldiers injured in Basilan encounter with alleged MILF —military

Five soldiers sustained minor injuries after an encounter with alleged members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and some "lawless elements" in Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan on Tuesday, the military said Wednesday.

“Yung kahapon meron kaming limang [wounded in action] kahapon, mga minor naman [We had five soldiers wounded in action yesterday, but the injuries were minor],” Joint Task Force - Basilan commander Brigadier General Domingo Gobway said in a media interview.

He said the alleged MILF and cohorts suddenly fired at the troops at around noon when 64th Infantry Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel John Ferdinand Lazo tried to negotiate with them.

Gobway alleged that the supposed MILF members were coddling the individuals behind bomb attacks in Isabela City and Lamitan City earlier this year.

Gobway said that the MILF members asked the military to let them go on to Barangay Ulitan. Gobway said he allowed it but that they should not bring weapons.

In a statement, the government's implementing panel for the GPH-MILF Peace Accord called the incident an "unfortunate untoward encounter" that occurred "despite progress and headways gained by the GPH and MILF parties in the peace process."

"We ask the cooperation of our partners from the MILF to stay the course and work together with the ceasefire mechanisms and government forces to uphold the ceasefire agreement which has been a product of arduous efforts from both parties in the interest of the welfare of our people and the preservation of the peace agreement," it added. — BM, GMA Integrated News