Mindanao Peoples Caucus

MPC has been successful in positioning itself as a key player in the talks, having been officially recognized as an observer in the GRP-MILF peace talks, which is unprecedented in the series of talks conducted since 1976.

Bantay Ceasefire is a monitoring mechanism developed by MPC in 2003. Its volunteers do monitoring and field work to help deescalate violence and prevent conflict on the ground. in cooperation with the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) of the GRP and the MILF and with the International Monitoring Team.

Since its creation, part of MPC’s mission has been to provide support and advice to indigenous people living in areas affected by conflict stemming from contested ownership of ancestral domain. In helping to resolve conflict within the community, MPC members are not merely involved in public advocacy on question of relief and rehabilitation; rather, they have also been developing local peace agreements bringing military, church, local governments and communities themselves at the negotiating table.

Concept »

Mindalinaw is an independent, non-partisan and inclusive radio programme on peace initiatives. It serves as an ordinary person’s forum. It is a combination of live and canned broadcasting that runs weekly for an hour in Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao and Sulu areas. Life Springs from a small cassette tape wherein the talks, commentaries, music, advertisements are pre-recorded.

In light of the raging crisis in Mindanao that has put the ongoing peace process in danger of caving in, it is imperative upon the youth to come together and collectively take action. The youth component of MPC takes an initiative to collaborate with other youth network that has also with the same inspiration towards peace and development in Mindanao.

Bantay Ceasefire Updates

BANTAY CEASEFIRE FIELD UPDATE

Chronology of incidents in Maguindanao
October 01-15, 2008

This is not a product of Official BC investigative mission. These are extracted from the updates of community volunteers and mostly secondary information. Some of the events (skirmishes) were confirmed by AFP 6 th ID through Col. Ando and other Battalion Commanders of the AFP which BC maintained contact with.

Oct. 01

• 10:00AM. A certain ARBAYA allegedly raped and shot by AFP elements of 46 th IB in Barrio Muslim, Guindolongan (unconfirmed no interview of victim)

• 12:35PM. Reported burning of undetermined number of houses in Pagatin, DSA allegedly by AFP elements. The burning was believed to be retaliation of the Sept.29 roadside bomb-ambush in Pagatin. (confirmed)

Oct. 03

• 5:57PM. Ground firefight in Bario Muslim

• 8:20PM. 15 evacuee-families from Gawang, DSA reported to BC that their houses in Gawang were burned. (unconfirmed)

Oct. 05

• 3:00PM. Undetermined number of AFP troops OF 602 ND BDE entered the areas of Lower Kadigasan , Damatulan and Macasendeg all of Midsayap.

Oct. 06

• Continues artillery shelling in Brgy. Nimao, Datu Piang every night since Sept. 08, 2008.

• 8:00AM. AFP troops with 2 105 H cannons entered Sitio Macantal. Ulandang, Midsayap.

Oct. 07

• 4:54PM. At 10:30AM, a certain Wingkie Mohamad,9yo, was shot by AFP elements patrolling near Upper Macasampen , Guindolongan. (confirmed)

• 8:10PM. AFP troops entered Malingao, Midsayap.

Oct.09

• AFP troops augmented in Tugal and Upper Labas , all of Midsayap.

Oct.10

• Three persons (SURAB SENOKA 30yo, NASSER H. ABUBAKAR 33yo, ABIE H. KALIKOD 35yo) picked-up by elements of 64 th IB and PNP at 4:50AM at Sambulawan Evacuation Center , DSA.

• 12:50PM. Col. Ando confirmed arrest and said that the persons were arrested by elements of 64 th IB and PNP. The three are suspect in the killing of Barangay Captain of Pagatin and the recent harassment of Pagatin detachment.

Oct. 12

• 9AM. Fighting in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao between 105 th BIAF and 74 th IB-PA AFP. The fighting started when patrolling AFP was ambushed by MILF rebels using landmines.

• 3PM. 54 TH IB-PA AFP troops entered Liong, Datu Piang, Maguindanao going Kabuntalan.

Oct. 13

• 7AM. Civilians reported to BC volunteers that 3 houses were torched by AFP elements in Liong. (confirmed)

Oct. 14

• AFP augmented forces deployment and brought in 2 units of 105 Howitzer cannons in Tugal, Midsayap. American forces were seen with the AFP who entered Tugal.

Oct. 15

• 9AM. Artillery and aerial strikes in the areas of Gawang and Andavit, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Nimao, Datu Piang all in Maguindanao.

• Allegedly Ustaz Kato was sighted in Andavit. Heavy firefight ensued.

• More or less 200 AFP troops entered Nimao.

• More than 30 houses burned in Nimao. Either due to the aerial strikes or deliberately torched down.

• Detachment of 75 th IB –PA harassed in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano. Civilians were reported hurt in the harassment.

Oct. 16

• 5:00AM. AFP detachment in Tubak, Pagangan was harassed. Firefight ensued. Houses reported burned.

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October 26, 2008

ABBDUCTED NOT ARRESTED

October 16

At around 9:00 in the morning, after the harassment of the AFP detachment in Sitio Tubak, Pagangan, Aleosan, certain Kamarudddin Abdullah Delanggalen, an evacuee from Bual, Pikit, was reported missing near the boundary of Nalapaan, Pikit and Pagangan, Aleosan. He was last seen in the morning bringing his carabao in sitio SPDA to get small timbers for his tent. Kamaruddin was released to his family after a week by the elements of the 40 th IB.

The following day at around 2:00 o'clock in the morning, Lacman Suleik and his son Samsodin were taken from the house of their relative inSitio Maguid, Nalapaan, Pikit by elements of the 40 th IB-Phil. Army. The following day the 2 was traced to Aleosan PNP office.

In Linangtangan, Mamasapano 5 men were arrested without warrant by elements of the 64 th Battalion, Philippine Army. The arrested are Alimuddin Ibrahim, Ding Datuan, Pax Lamalan, Daud Ibrahim, Binyamin Ono Abdulatip. They were later turned over to the PNP in Mamasapano. They later released on October 19, 2008.

CIVILIAN VILLAGE HARASSED

At around 8:45PM, a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the civilians just in-front of a Bantay Ceasefire volunteer's house in Nalapaan, Pikit. The grenade did not explode and no one was hurt. The suspected perpetrators were on board an Honda XRM motorcycle traversing from Pikit going to Midsayap.

Forty five (45) minutes later, at almost exactly the same place where the grenade was thrown, the house of a certain Anwar Suleik in Sitio Maguid, Nalapaan was strafed by unidentified armed men on board a Honda XRM motorcycle. No reported injured in the strafing.

UAV crash in Pikit

At around 7:45 in the evening, an unmanned air vehicle UAV owned by US forces crashed near the Globe telecom tower in Pikit.

NO HINT FOR CEASEFIRE

PGMA visited Camp Siongco . 6 th INFANTRY DIVISION HQ and awarded honors to soldiers engaged in combat in Maguindanao.

UPDATES ON IDP's

As of October 23, 2008, Ms. Expedita Catipay, MSWDO of Mamasapano recorded 6,200 evacuees in the entire municipality including those coming from the nearby barangays affected in Shariff Aguak and Datu Saudi. UNWFP distributed 25kilos rice to IDP's but not all of the 6, 200 families received rice assistance from WFP. In Libutan, Mamasapano there are 3, 989 families evacuated, but only 1000 families received rice assistance from WFP through CFSI.

Earlier, BANTAY CEASEFIRE received information that there is a Measles outbreak in Mamasapano and that more than 100 cases of deaths already recorded. However, RHU Mamasapano recorded only 89 cases and 1 death which is in Libutan, But the municipal health worker admitted that there is difficulty in monitoring health situation of evacuees in Libutan because it is too risky to go to the area. Total deaths in Mamasapano since the start of the war in August 21 reached 24 cases. Morbidity cause is diarrhea or severe dehydration especially babies which recorded 8 cases of deaths. Health workers also cited lack of supplies and medicines to attend to the needs of the patients.

In Datu Piang, the official record of deaths is only 19 cases. Half of them are below 12 years old. Morbidity cause is multiple gunshot wounds and LBM.

As of October 24, 2008, the countdown since the start of the conflict and evacuation was already 65days as posted in the municipal hall. There are already 11,800 plus evacuees jam-packed in 28 identified evacuation areas around the poblacion. From mere observation alone, one can see the deteriorating situation of the evacuees.

HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES BARRED FROM ENTERING DATU PIANG

On October 23, 2 vehicles of ICRC and the a truck carrying 500 bags WFP of rice intended to be distributed to Libutan was held in a military checkpoint in Dapiwan, DSA. Soldiers manning the checkpoint reasoned that there were orders from the 604 th BDE that no outsiders will be allowed to go inside except DSWD and DOH. The ICRC and CSFI staff and volunteers carrying rice for evacuees were forced to turn back.

The 604 th brigade commander in an interview by Banty Ceasefire said that there is an on-going operation to retrieve improvised explosive device (IED's) and even showed pictures of IED's allegedly recovered in the area. He claimed that intelligence reports says 50 such IED's were planted by MILF in the area and only 3 were recovered 1 of which exploded and killed 1 soldier, he claimed. Ironically, while claiming to impose the ‘NO CLEARANCE NO ENTRY” primarily for the security and safety of civilians like CSFI, WFP volunteers, Mindanews and even ICRC. What about the safety and security of the local residence in the areas? Are they safe from those IED's? Why are they allowed to pass while outsiders are not?

OFF TANGENT 105 HOWITZER ARTILLERY FIRES

Mayor datu Ahmad Ampatuan of Mamasapano showed to Bantay Ceasefire and Mindanews the crater caused by artillery or mortar shelling. The mayor's aides were quick to claim that the crater was from a 105 howitzer cannon. Whatever it was, it hit less than 3 meters from the grandstand of the Mamasapano sports complex; 30 meters from the municipal hall and 20 meters from the mayor's house. When asked where the shelling might have come from, the mayor said he'll leave that to the investigator to find out.

The incident happened in October 14, 2008 at around 9 o clock in the evening. One of his men was wounded. The water tank in his house was damaged, the roof and part of the cemented post of the grandstand was partially damaged, an aircon in one of the offices in the Municipal Hall was also damaged.

The Mamasapano PNP already submitted report to the higher authorities and is now waiting for the result of the crime laboratory to really determine if the shrapnel are hose of the 105 howitzers.

ARMED CLASHES

Heavy firefight in Barrio Muslim was reported by volunteers in Guindolongan on Fridaqy night October 24. No reported casualties.

A CVO and CAFGU detachment in Baliki, Midsayap was harassed by MILF rebels. No casualties reported. With death certificates No investigation conducted. Report was based on text messages of volunteers near the area of incident.